Families are encouraged to get involved in Ireland’s largest celebration of engineering during STEPS Engineers Week 2021, with online events to take place on Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28, to inspire Ireland’s future engineering talent.
A series of Family Fairs to inspire Ireland’s future engineers through interactive virtual workshops and spectacular shows will be beamed live from Dublin, Cork and Sligo to kick off STEPS Engineers Week 2021.
Taking place from February 27 – March 5, STEPS Engineers Week encourages young people, their teachers and parents to explore the creative and limitless world of engineering and the diverse opportunities a career in the sector can offer.
Now in its 15th year
The week-long celebration of the engineering profession in Ireland, now in its 15th year and taking place in a virtual setting for the first time, is managed by the Engineers Ireland’s STEPS programme – funded by Science Foundation Ireland, the Department of Education and Skills and industry leaders ARUP, ESB, Intel and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).
To kick off STEPS Engineers Week 2021, the Engineers Ireland STEPS programme has teamed up with IT Sligo and Foróige YES! Youth Engineering Solutions Programme to provide families with free and engaging engineering workshops and shows as part of their annual Family Fair series of events.
On Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28, the Sligo Engineering Fair will be beamed live from IT Sligo between 12 noon and 5pm each day. Families are invited to attend a range of performances, interactive talks, workshops and hands on activities, including building a Fan-Powered Car, an Automata, a bio-engineered artificial hand and much more.
Engineering spectacular
Special guests, Dr Niamh Shaw, Prof. Niall English and Nemo le Magician, will also join the engineering spectacular at IT Sligo to engage budding engineers at home.
On Sunday, February 28, Foróige's YES! Youth Engineering Solutions Programme will present a day of discovery and will host a live online show by Science Made Simple, live workshops by Anyone4Science, a fun Engineering Quiz, an Invention Challenge and will be introducing YES! TV, engineers will be interviewed about their careers.
From Dublin, on Saturday, February 27, and Sunday, February 28, the Engineers Ireland STEPS Programme will host two-days of online pre-recorded engineering shows and live workshops led by Explorium, Scientific Sue and Silly Billy. The Reptile Zoo, Science Made Simple and Rediscovery Centre will also offer workshops and learning experiences throughout the weekend
Caroline Spillane, director general of Engineers Ireland, said: “The STEPS Engineers Week Family Fairs will bring the fascinating world of engineering to life in homes across Ireland and will provide children and their families with the opportunity to dream, invent and create like professional engineers.
“Engineering is more than just bridges and structures, engineers are responsible for designing and creating the technology behind virtual reality, the invisible technology that supports our daily lives and finding solutions to tackle climate change. I would encourage families to register to attend a free family activity as part of STEPS Engineers Week and find out more about how Irish engineers are pushing the limits of innovation.”
For more information about the STEPS Engineers Week Family Fairs hosted remotely from Dublin, Cork and Sligo and to pre-book activities, visit: https://www.engineersireland.ie/Schools/Engineers-Week/Parents-and-Guardians
(Main image: Sisters Hiwot and Eden Quinn are pictured at the 2020 STEPS Engineers Week Family Fair at Engineers Ireland’s headquarters in Ballsbridge, Dublin.)