What is Engineering?

Overview of Engineering Sector

Engineering is a strong and vibrant sector in Ireland and is a major contributor to Irish exports. There are over 180 overseas companies generating €4.2 billion in exports annually across areas such as automative and clean tech, aerospace, and industrial products and services. This growing sector employs over 18,500 people directly and many companies have a long established base here.

What is engineering?

Engineering is the scientific knowledge and skills required to solve problems in the real world. While the study of science (physics, biology and chemistry etc) gives us an understanding of the world, engineering allows this understanding to come to life through problem solving, designing and building.

Face a problem,
Work through thoughts and ideas,
Transform ideas into reality.

Engineers are set apart from other professionals by their ability to problem solve and put solutions into practice in cost effective and practical ways.

Who is suited to Engineering?

Do you wonder how things work?
Do you enjoy problem solving? Suggesting new ideas and ways of doing things?
Are you always looking to make improvements to things?
Are you methodical – do you picture situations and analyse in steps?

If you answered YES to one or more of the above questions you might be suited to a career in engineering. Engineers work in various sectors; ICT, science, construction, electronics, mechanics and many more industries. Although the work is varied the skills required for engineering remain much the same. Engineers are problem solvers; they may be working on computer software in an office, on a construction site or in a science laboratory but wherever they are working you can bet they are using knowledge to come up with innovative solutions to make improvements to projects.

Engineers are rational thinkers and logical decision makers. Many engineers come from science and maths backgrounds. Engineers are problem solvers and calculators, therefore it is important to have good maths ability. Being creative is also any important quality as engineers are often called on for elements of design. Engineers usually work as part of a team so it is necessary to have good organisation and communication skills.

There are many benefits to working in engineering roles. The work is usually challenging and stimulating. The skills you will use in your work are applicable to various other careers. Your work is meaningful as you are having an impact on society and developing new products. And if that isn’t enough to keep you interested, the roles are usually quite lucrative, so your pockets will be well lined too!

Are there Jobs in Engineering?

Engineers are highly sought after professionals. The need for engineers in the ICT sector is so acute that work permits were necessitated to recruit talent from abroad. Engineers occupy positions across a broad range of sectors. Below is a list of some of the sectors that are experiencing significant growth in Ireland and require the expertise of engineers:

Environment and Energy: Growing concerns about the environment and conserving energy coupled with Ireland’s commitment to reduce greenhouse emissions by 2050 has resulted in a demand for engineering expertise in the development of energy efficiency.

Medical Devices: Ireland is internationally recognised as a centre for medical technology thus creating a demand for highly skilled engineers in this specialised field.

Construction: The construction industry is heavily reliant on engineers to deliver on housing projects and infrastructure under the National Development plan 2040. The construction sector employs many different engineering and surveyor roles. Civil, structural, building services, environmental and geotechnical engineering roles are required, as well as specialist areas, such as acoustics engineers. This booming sector has ample opportunity for engineers; so much so that companies are finding it very difficult to fill roles and are going abroad to source talent.

Information Technology: The work of computer engineers is fundamental to the Information Technology sector. Software engineers are highly sought after to develop software packages. Ireland is the second largest software exporter and has international recognition as a leading software exporter. There are also opportunities in network engineering and systems engineering.

Click here for a more extensive list of career areas engineers are employed in.

How do You Enter this Sector?

Engineering straddles many sectors and industries. As a result there are varied specialisations that students can pursue. It is a good idea to begin with a general engineering course and specialise from there. There is a large variety of engineering courses available at Further Education and Higher Education.

CAO - You can find courses offered at levels 6,7,and 8 in Universities across the country. Use Coursefinder to identify courses in Engineering.

Further Education – PLC colleges offer a vast array of Engineering related courses at levels 5 and 6. Many of these courses are linked under the Higher Education Links Scheme (HELS) to courses in Universities for students who wish to pursue their studies to degree level. Click here for a list of Engineering related courses.

Apprenticeships - There are several apprenticeships that have been newly developed to meet the growing demands in this area e.g. ICT Network Engineer. Apprenticeships are open to people of all educational and working backgrounds. Apprenticeships allow applicants to earn while they learn and work towards a QQI award. Click here to review the apprenticeships currently available in the field of Engineering.

Careers Paths in Engineering

Engineering roles are varied and span across a range of sectors. As a result, there are many different careers you can pursue with an engineering qualification. There is a good variety of engineering courses offered in the Institutes of Technology and the Universities across Ireland. Some courses are specialised and many others are general engineering courses that become more specialised as the student progresses through the course. Choosing a more general engineering degree will give you the opportunity to sample different strands of engineering before specialising. If this is your preference then take care choosing your general degree. Different degrees offer different specialisations.

The following provides a brief description of four of the main areas of engineering:

Civil: Civil engineers design the physical infrastructure that surrounds us. Roads, bridges, airports, railways and other significant construction projects are built and maintained with the input of civil engineers. The most common areas civil engineers will work in are construction and the public sector, here they will go about shaping the built environment that surrounds us. Utilities companies also have significant demand for the talents of civil engineers, managing the infrastructure necessary to generate electricity and deliver it to homes and business.

Electrical and Electronic:Electrical engineers can find themselves working on the design and construction of power lines, in the control and management of power stations, or in the design and installation of electrical systems and machinery, such as transformers, electric motors and power electronics. Electronic engineers work with electrical and electronic appliances and equipment. Many of the key innovations of the modern era have involved electronic engineers at some stage in their design and production, including new household equipment and innovations in mobile phones.

Mechanical: Mechanical engineers work with machines. They are involved at all stages of a machine’s lifecycle, designing, manufacturing and maintaining them as well as guiding their operation. The options open to you after graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering are almost endless. Many will go on to work in manufacturing of some form, with almost every manufacturing or other industrial operation requiring the input of mechanical engineers.

Chemical:Many industries depend on chemical processes, particularly manufacturing and natural resource industries. These processes require chemical engineers who can safely design and execute design chemical processes. Often the key process in Chemical Engineering is taking raw materials and turning them into a useful output. After graduating as a chemical engineer, you may find most opportunities are in intensive industrial and mining operations. Examples include oil extraction and refining, most power generation based on fossil fuels or nuclear power, plastic and polymer manufacturing and recycling.

The above four areas are the most common routes for engineers but many new areas have opened up and offer lots of opportunities for engineers. Here are some more areas you might like to consider:

Biomedical Engineering is a combination of engineering and medicine. Biomedical engineers apply engineering principles to healthcare systems, developing life enhancing equipment such as pacemakers, stents, lasers for eye surgery. 80 per cent of the world’s heart stents are produced here in Ireland, as well as 50 per cent of ventilators.

Biosystems, agriculture and food engineering. This field of engineering works to deliver high quality safe and economical food to consumers.

Computer and Software engineers: Design and develop hardware, software and information systems for computer and mobile devices.

Aeronautical engineers: Design, make and test anything that travels through the air: airplanes, rockets, drones etc.

Mechatronic or Electromechanical engineering: Mechatronics combines mechanical engineering, electronic engineering and software engineering to design intelligent machines, such as robots and smart buildings.

Marine engineering involves the design, manufacture and maintenance of equipment used at sea and on board ships.

Materials engineers develop new materials for engineering applications and improve existing materials, such as polycarbonate and graphene.

Energy engineers aim to increase energy efficiency and develop renewable sources of energy.

Advice for School Leavers

If you are considering a career in Engineering you might consider some of the following tips:

Study Engineering for your Leaving Cert. This will give you a good taste of what engineering is all about and whether is it the right course for you after school.
Work hard at Maths. You will need good mathematical ability to do well in engineering. Some courses require Higher Level Leaving Cert Maths and most courses will have a significant maths component.
Choose complimentary Leaving Cert Subjects. A lot of engineering roles fall into the field of science so it may be wise to study a science subject for your Leaving Cert. (Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science). If you are thinking of going into Civil or Structural Engineering, it would be a good idea to do Construction Studies for your Leaving Cert. Technology, and Design and Communication Graphics are also good choices that will set a good foundation for engineering students.
Find work experience in engineering. Gaining work experience or work shadowing is a great way to get a feel for engineering and to see first hand the different roles.
Attend an event during Engineers’ Week. Every March there is a week dedicated to engineering. There are plenty of events and workshops held across the country. This week offers a great opportunity to discover more about the roles in engineering.
Research engineering related courses at Further and Higher Education. Spend time reading college prospectuses and attend college open days to help you find the course that suits you best.
Consider applying for an apprenticeship in engineering

Advice for Graduates

Engineering graduates are in a very fortunate position right now as they are a highly sought after professional. In fact, there is a shortage of engineering graduates and not enough to meet the country’s current and future needs.

In an interview you want to show your prospective employer that you are the right candidate for the job. Here are some key traits engineers require. Think of evidence of how you have displayed some of these skills and qualities.

Team work is essential: Employers want to know that you can thrive in a team environment and work well with your colleagues.
Attention to detail: Being able to work with accuracy and precision is vital for a career in engineering.
Innovation: You need to show your prospective employer that you can solve problems and come up with new solutions. Employers want to see that you understand the need for innovation to solve real-life problems.

Consider applying for a graduate recruitment programme. This is a highly structured programme that typically runs over two years. The focus is on training and development and some programmes lead to a professional or postgraduate qualification.

You also have the option of continuing your studies to postgraduate level. Students may choose this option to become expert in a specialisation or they may choose to further their studies to be in a better position to secure a more senior role. Graduates may also opt to apply to be a Chartered Engineer with Engineers Ireland. By achieving the Chartered Engineer status, you will be in a better position for employment, achieve the badge of excellence for your profession and give yourself a more competitive edge through international recognition.

Advice for Adult Workers

If you are currently in employment and wish to enter into the Engineering sector you have several options available to you.

Complete an Engineering related course in Further Education. Applications to Further Education can be made directly to your chosen college.
Undertake a degree in an Engineering course. You can apply as a mature student to CAO to compete for a place in Higher Education.
Apprenticeship opportunities are also open to people from all educational and employment backgrounds. An apprenticeship will give you the opportunity to earn a wage during your training.
If you already have a degree you may be interested in studying at postgraduate level in an Engineering related course.