Louise Gorman
Advance Centre Manager, ATU Sligo
Engineering Education 5.0 aims to produce engineers who are not only technically adept but also deeply aware of their responsibility to ensure the wellbeing of individuals, communities and the environment.
Engineering Education 5.0 is a radical, new approach to engineering education that transcends traditional boundaries and integrates technological proficiency with a robust commitment to ethics, humanism and sustainable practices.
Sustainable and ethical manufacturing innovation
This new model is particularly relevant to the manufacturing sector in Ireland, which is facing a rapidly evolving technological landscape. Engineers need to be equipped to navigate these complexities and ensure that growth and innovation do not compromise human rights or environmental sustainability.
It places the wellbeing of workers and the planet at the heart of its approach. It encourages engineers to develop a holistic understanding of the interconnectedness of social, environmental and technological systems. Moreover, it empowers them to contribute to a more equitable, sustainable and prosperous global society.
In addition to technical skills, Engineering Education 5.0 emphasises the importance of leadership, innovation and ethical awareness. Engineers are encouraged to be leaders and changemakers, driving positive change in the industrial sector and ensuring that it serves as a resilient provider.
Engineering Education 5.0 emphasises the importance
of leadership, innovation and ethical awareness.
Growth throughout a manufacturing career
Lifelong and life-wide learning is also a key feature of Engineering Education 5.0. Professionals in manufacturing need to be able to acquire digital transformation skills throughout their careers to remain competitive.
The Advance Centre provides flexible and agile options for engineers to develop these skills through microcredentials and programmes related to digital transformation in manufacturing.
The right tools for engineers
Engineering Education 5.0 is urgently needed in a world that is facing complex challenges such as climate change and social inequality.
Below are some specific examples of the manufacturing skills gap in Ireland’s digital transformation being addressed by the Advance Centre, which will provide engineers with the skills needed to develop and implement digital solutions that improve productivity, efficiency and sustainability in the manufacturing process.
- A wide range of microcredentials including robotics, operations strategy and technical communications
- Undergraduate part-time, online degree programmes in manufacturing, mechatronics, electronics and quality
- Part-time postgraduate certificates and Masters in Engineering Management
Promoting dynamic engineering education
The Advance Centre is also working with industry partners in the manufacturing sector to develop new microcredentials and programmes that integrate digital transformation skills with traditional engineering knowledge.
These are just a few examples of how the Centre is contributing to Engineering Education 5.0 in Ireland. As the manufacturing sector continues to evolve, this new model of engineering education will be essential to ensuring that Ireland remains a leader in this field.
