A series of in-person, online and blended Family Fairs to inspire Ireland’s future engineers through interactive workshops and spectacular shows will be hosted from Dublin, Munster, Sligo and Galway on Saturday and Sunday, March 5-6, to kick off STEPS Engineers Week 2022. 

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.

Taking place from March 5-11, 2022, the week-long celebration of the engineering profession in Ireland, now in its 16th year is managed by the Engineers Ireland’s STEPS programme – funded the Department of Education and industry leaders Arup, the EPA, ESB, Intel and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

To kick off STEPS Engineers Week, the Engineers Ireland STEPS programme has teamed up with IT Sligo, NUI Galway and Foróige YES! Youth Engineering Solutions Programme to provide families with engaging engineering workshops and shows as part of their annual Family Fair series of events. In addition to online events, a number of in-person workshops and shows will take place. Please note that pre-booking is required for all in-person events.

On Saturday, March 5, a series of in-person shows will take place in Engineers Ireland’s headquarters in Ballsbridge, Dublin, where families will be treated to engaging shows by Scientific Sue, Mark the Science Guy and more.

Also, on Saturday, families can join Foróige YES! Youth Engineering Programme and NUI Galway online for a series on interactive virtual events that can be enjoyed from home.

On Sunday, March 6,  IT Sligo will host free in-person and online shows, workshops and demonstrations at the Sligo Engineering Fair. With Engineering Discovery Zones and a variety of shows from the Devastatingly Dramatic Climate Show to Who wants to be a Superhero, families will get the opportunity to engage in experiments and demonstrations and find out more about the wide ranging ways engineers create innovative and sustainable solutions for society.

On Sunday, Engineers Ireland will also offer families the opportunity to tune into free online workshops and shows by The Rediscovery Centre, Science Made Simple, the National Reptile Zoo and Explorium.

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.”

Throughout the week-long celebration, families are also encouraged to get involved in STEPS Engineers Week 2022 from home by utilising free activities and resources, such as wind energy challenges, engineering quizzes and trails, and availing of books from the STEM stories reading list from local libraries.

Five activities to get involved in STEPS Engineers Week from home

1) STEM Stories – Reading List

Explore this fantastic world of engineering with the STEM Stories Reading list, themed around engineering and STEM for ages 7-9, 9-12 and Young Adults. Why not check out your local library to borrow one of these inspiring books?

2) STEM Stories – Film and Documentary List

Bring engineering to your screens with the STEM Stories Film and Documentary List, exploring engineering and STEM via recommendations such as documentary Dream Big: Engineering our World, a heartfelt of human ingenuity, and Hidden Figures, the film based on the inspiring true story of three brilliant African-American women who worked at NASA in the 1950s. This list includes accompanying educational resources and worksheets to elevate your experience.

3) Wind Energy Challenge

Learn about engineering and wind energy in this challenge, in which children build their own pinwheel (primary level) or wind turbine (secondary level). Includes worksheets and instructions.

4) As Creative Engineering Quiz

Do you have what it takes to get top marks in the STEPS Engineers Quiz? As Creatives has created family-friendly quizzes to explore engineering at home and challenge each other to see who the ultimate engineer is! Watch the intro short film to learn more about engineering all around you.

5) As Creative Engineering Trail

Engineering is everywhere in your local community and the Engineering Trail which can be accessed digitally, will support families in working together on a range of simple engineering challenges.

For more  information, and to pre-book activities, visit: https://www.engineersireland.ie/Schools/Engineers-Week/Parents-and-Guardians