Play a part in developing Ireland’s future engineering talent

Caroline Spillane

Director General of Engineers Ireland

As the country recovers post COVID-19 and we consider what the post-pandemic world might look like, we are committed to finding practical and cost-effective solutions to the societal challenges we will face.

Engineering is a highly diversified profession with a wide range of specialisms emerging as new technologies, business models and engineering challenges develop. Engineers and their problem solving skills are in demand and will be in the future. 

Now, more than ever, we need to encourage young people, to consider a career in engineering. Our STEPS programme encourages the future generations of engineers.

Inspiring future engineering talent today

Our volunteer engineers are pivotal to making our STEPS programme a success. STEPS is the only national STEM outreach programme with an engineering focus and it holds the Investing in Volunteers standard, the gold standard in volunteering excellence.

In 2020, almost 150,000 children directly interacted with the programme – an achievement made possible because of the dedication and commitment of volunteers, whose efforts to raise interest in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in schools and colleges, encourage and support the engineers of tomorrow.

With the assistance of engineering professionals, students and engineering employers across Ireland, our goal is to continually increase volunteer participation to ensure all children across the country are given the opportunity to experience the creative and dynamic world of engineering.

Now, more than ever, we need to encourage young people, to consider a career in engineering.

Get involved

We encourage all engineering employers to include the STEPS programme of activity in their CSR agenda and help us to encourage and educate the engineers of the future. Here are just three ways engineering employers and professionals can get involved:

1 The STEPS Young Engineers Award, a nationwide primary school competition, encourages third-and fourth-class pupils and their teachers to explore the world of engineering by developing an engineering project that would help to improve their local community. Volunteer engineers have a co–creation role in the projects.

2 STEPS Engineering Your Future is an engineering experience programme which provides Transition Year students with a hands-on, fun and practical insight into engineering. Organisations are encouraged to become industry partners and form part of a network which hosts and engages Transition Year students over three to five days.

3 STEPS Engineers Week promotes engineering and the importance of the profession to children in Ireland. Taking place from 5^th to the 11^th March 2022, engineering firms and businesses are encouraged to adopt a school in their community and help build awareness and interest in engineering as a creative and diverse career choice.