Engineers Ireland has offered its congratulations to students in receipt of CAO engineering and engineering trades course offers and encouraged students who have not obtained the required CAO points to consider all routes to enter the profession.

Sustainable development

Caroline Spillane, director general of Engineers Ireland, said: “Ireland needs a steady supply of engineers, with the necessary skillset, to boost local economies, create new jobs, facilitate sustainable development and meet government ambitions, such as those outlined in the Climate Action Plan.

“We would therefore encourage students who have not obtained the required CAO points or who have not followed the traditional CAO pathway to consider all routes to pursue a career in the sector, such as apprenticeships and other skills-based training. These routes will also offer a real opportunity to develop professional and technical skills which are valued by employers”.

Apprentices play a vital role in the wider engineering and construction sector and as detailed in Engineers Ireland’s Engineering 2020 barometer report, new forms of apprenticeships have been developed in the past five years, led by industry consortia with higher education institution (HEI) partners.

These apprenticeships are flexible in delivery, including on-the-job land on-campus learning, in areas such as industrial electrical engineering, manufacturing technology and manufacturing engineering.

Encouraging students in receipt of engineering and engineering trade courses offers to accept their offer and pursue a career in a rewarding sector that provides limitless opportunities, Spillane said: “An engineering qualification offers a chance to do extremely rewarding work, enhance people’s lives and explore almost limitless career opportunities.  

"Engineers are uniquely placed to help the world meet critical goals, including protecting the planet and ensuring prosperity for all. Students who accept an offer of an engineering course at third-level can look forward to gaining internationally-recognised qualifications and unlimited career opportunities.”