What is a Planner? Planners play a key role in how the environment where we live and work is developed and/or protected for future generations. Their work is diverse. They help to identify the best way to use land and/or buildings. Their goal is to ensure that a
I’ve been privileged to attend conferences, meetings and seminars where experts from all sectors of society have shared their thoughts, concerns and suggestions relating to all things energy and climate. I’ve also had the opportunity to attend meetings in Brussels with our counterparts and colleagues from
Niall Donnelly - Senior Associate in Energy, Renewables and Natural Resources at Arthur Cox. Some solicitors specialise in the energy business and work with power companies, utilities and energy producers. Much of their work involves making sure the proper laws and regulations are followed. They can advise developers, regulators or investors
Eoin McPartland - Offshore Manager, Energia Group; working on Energia’s North Celtic Sea project located off the coast of Wexford and Wicklow. Designs and plans large infrastructure projects, such as wind farm foundations, access roads, and crane paths and pads. In his role as Offshore Manager, Eoin is at
Dr Caroline Roche - Offshore Environmental & Consents Manager, Energia Group As part of getting planning permission for a wind farm the project will normally have a number of environmental conditions and need a Habitat Management Plan. An Environmental Advisor works closely with civil, mechanical and electrical engineers and other specialists
John Lyons - Community Liaison Officer (CLO) with FuturEnergy Ireland in Cork Works with the local community on behalf of the developer to answer questions on the proposed project. Can focus on specific audiences, like the fishing community, or be more general. Supplies information and give opportunities to engage. What did
Heather Farrimond - Junior Ecologist & Aerial Surveyor with Green Rebel in Cork Surveys the site and assess any potential environmental impacts. They plan, conduct and supervise ecological surveys and fieldwork. They work to make sure the development of a wind farm has the minimal possible impact on the local environment
Kyro Keown, Data Engineer with EnergyPro in Kildare Utilises advanced analytics and machine learning techniques to analyse wind energy data and optimise performance, efficiency and predictive maintenance. What did you want to do when you were 16? I’ve wanted to work in renewables or sustainability for most of
Maintains, repairs and replaces systems and components. They identify and resolve technical problems and make sure the turbine is working properly. Tanya, from Cootehill in Cavan, spends her working day more than a hundred metres in the air on top of wind turbines across Ireland and Europe. A new recruit
Carmel Brennan - Environmental Advisor working on onshore wind projects across Ireland with SSE Renewables Environmental Advisor As part of getting planning permission for a wind farm the project will normally have a number of environmental conditions and need a Habitat Management Plan. An Environmental Advisor works closely with civil, mechanical
Brian Casserly -Site Manager based in Oweninny II Wind Farm, Co. Mayo What is a Civil Engineer? A Civil Engineer designs and plans large infrastructure projects, such as wind farm foundations, access roads, and crane paths and pads. What did you want to do when you were 16? Civil Engineer
Meet Geoff Hamilton, Senior Ecologist in ESB’s Engineering and Major Projects business division. Geoff’s environmental specialism means he is involved with many aspects of ESB’s operations and projects across Ireland and the UK. Geoff grew up with a love of nature
10 Reasons Why You Should Study at CAFRE Experienced Staff: CAFRE staff are highly qualified and experienced at delivering education programmes. They come from a range of backgrounds bringing a lot of knowledge and skills that they will share with you. Great job prospects: Students study at CAFRE because they
Hi there! I’m Ben Finnerty, a first year pharmacy student at Ulster University’s Coleraine campus along the Causeway Coast. I’m from Roscommon and I just sat my Leaving cert in June of 2021. If you’re reading this then you’re probably
Maggie Owens is a Maths teacher who specialises in deaf education. She has been teaching in Holy Family School for the Deaf, a newly amalgamated school since 2016. She started her teaching career in St Mary’s School for the Deaf 18 years ago and is also deaf herself
A career in computer engineering can be extremely broad, interesting and fulfilling. We spoke with two specialists, both working in very different fields. A career in computer engineering can be extremely broad, interesting and fulfilling. We spoke with two specialists, both working in very different fields. John Woods is an
My name is Carolanne O’Brien and I am a Quality Engineer with Boston Scientific. I completed my undergraduate degree in Biotechnology, a branch of science which focuses on creating a product through utilisation of living systems and organisms. Outside of my day to day work I love to
What work does a Motor Mechanic do? Motor Mechanics run diagnostics, inspect, repair and service a variety of motor vehicles from motorcycles to domestic cars and other commercial vehicles. The role of a motor mechanic has changed greatly in recent years with the increasing use of computers and electronic
What work does a Manufacturing Engineer do? Manufacturing Engineers work to ensure the efficient operation within the production areas of a wide variety of manufacturing companies. They are tasked with optimising the manufacturing processes, to plan and implement any changes and new processes to ensure that production goals and
What work does an Electrician do? Electricians install, commission, test and maintain various electrical and wiring systems. They connect power to services in domestic, commercial and industrial settings. The work can also involve more complex systems involving instrumentation, process control and maintenance in industrial plants, hospitals and power
What work does an Construction Plant Fitter do? Construction Plant Fitters service and maintain all the heavy equipment and machinery used on construction plants and vehicles. The work can be quite varied and take in machinery such as diggers and excavators to a crane. The fitter will service
What work does an Arborist do? Arborists are more commonly referred to as Tree Surgeons. Their work involves the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines, and other perennial woody plants. They examine trees to assess their condition before determining appropriate action. An arborist can also carry
What does a Heavy Vehicle Mechanic do? Heavy Vehicle Mechanics work on trucks, buses, coaches and other heavy vehicles. Each vehicle is serviced after a specified length of time or kilometres, to replace, repair or adjust any worn parts and generally check, tune and adjust for good performance. Mechanics perform
Dr Maryam Hajimohammadpour, R&D PhD chemist Could you give us a background on your education and your path into your STEM Career? I come from Iran, I did my bachelor degree in chemistry in Iran and completed my PhD in chemistry at University College Dublin, Ireland. I worked
SHEILA COURTNEY Could you give us a background on your education and your path into your STEM Career? While in 6 th year of secondary school, I struggled to select a college course - so many different courses and disciplines appealed to me! In the end I choose Engineering in UCD
CHISOM AGHAMELU Could you give us a background on your education and your path into your STEM Career? In secondary school, I always enjoyed Maths and Sciences. Understanding Maths came quite naturally to me and I always found Physics, Chemistry and Biology very interesting, so of course, I steered towards
AMY SHIELY Could you give us a background on your education and your path into your STEM Career? I was encouraged from an early age to pursue my interests, one of which was research. In Transition Year I received an award from UCC for a project on Agnes Mary Clerke
Tania is the perfect example of someone who could have taken many career paths through studying STEM. At secondary school she took a very broad range of subjects, as she wasn’t certain of the career she wanted at the time but she is delighted that she included science
International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's equality
When Roisin Loftus decided she wanted to leave academia for a career in the pharmaceutical industry, working on medicines that treat different types of cancers, her mentors and peers were shocked. Academia can be an amazing place but for Roisin, she had her sights set on something else. “I
From a young age, Karla Maria Garcia had an aptitude for studying and was passionate about learning how things work, which she finds has stood to her to this day in her role in Verizon Media. As part of her role as a software developer, Karla Maria Garcia works on
Accenture’s Ross Manning takes us through a typical day in his line of work and how he stays productive while doing the job from home. As a data engineering consultant in Accenture’s applied intelligence practice, Ross Manning helps companies get value and insights from data. Manning
College student Brandon Caffrey got more than he bargained for in his internship in Viasat, which has opened his eyes to a career path in tech and computer engineering on a global scale. Working in tech isn’t just for people with a wealth of experience. There are lots
The science, tech, engineering and maths (STEM) industries have a diverse mix of people working within them. People who are constantly breaking down stereotypes of the ‘white, male scientist’ that have in the past been associated with roles within the sector. Movements such as #iLookLikeAnEngineer have
Engineers Week ambassador and NASA datanaut Fionnghuala O’Reilly talks navigating the worlds of engineering, modelling and pageantry as a woman of colour. Fionnghuala O’Reilly was 15 years old when she first learned what it meant to be an engineer. It happened when she began attending a
From Bahrain to Tipperary, drug discovery and research have brought Caroline Poovelil on a career path and journey that is constantly evolving. Travelling across the globe to follow her dream to study chemical engineering at Queen’s University Belfast, Caroline Poovelil discovered a passion for pharmaceutical manufacturing in MSD
Laura Mulkeen loved the creativity involved in the event management career she had built over ten years. Originally from Derry, she had been working in the busy industry in Dublin and Belfast. Laura enjoyed her work, but there had been a niggling feeling of unfulfillment. So, having moved
Dawn O’Brien was unsure of what to do after her Leaving Cert, so decided to explore her options and enrolled in a PLC course in Computer Systems and Networks. The course ignited a love for IT and Dawn wanted to progress further, encouraged by the support and guidance
Could you give us a background on your education and your path into your STEM Career? I took Higher Level Maths, Chemistry and Physics in Leaving Cert, started in ‘Biological and Chemical Sciences’ in UCC which transitioned into a BSc in Chemistry in 2 nd year. I began
“ You don't have to be amazing at maths to do it – and it does become easier with practise.” First name: Jolie | Age: 17 | Leaving Cert: Accounting, Applied Maths, Chemistry, English, Irish, Maths, Physics, Spanish What led you to the subjects you
Lorraine Gustafsson – Commercial Products Manager, Hovione HE Education/Background I always had an interest in the sciences and the world around me. I studied Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Applied Maths as my options for my Leaving Cert. I studied Chemistry and Forensic Science in UCC. It was a really
Miriam Dineen, wears several hats as a dairy farmer and sales representative for an agri company. The 22-year-old hails from Cahirbarnagh, Rathmore, Co. Kerry, on the Cork side of the Cork/Kerry border. Farming is a longstanding tradition on both sides of her family, with Miriam being the
Do you think you would have what it takes to work in this specialised career? What is being a Virologist all about? Virologist So, what do they do? Virologists are specialists on viruses and viral infections, such as those that cause colds, flus and COVID-19. They can be
Do you think you would like to engineer the buildings of the future? What is Building Engineering all about? Building Engineer - So, what do they do? Listen to what David Kellegher has to say about being a Building Engineer Building Engineers are responsible for the design, installation
Do you have what it takes to design and build robotic systems? What is Automation Engineering all about? Automation Engineer So, what do they do? Automation Engineers work to simplify manufacturing processes as much as possible, making them more efficient and cost effective. The technology they work with
Do you enjoy experimenting and testing and analysing your results? What is being a Quality Controller all about? Quality Controller So, what do they do? Quality controllers perform checks and tests on finished goods and materials to ensure they are up to production standards. Developing testing methods, identifying
Do you enjoy practical work and have an interest in how electrical systems work? What is being an Electrician all about? Electrician So, what do they do? Electricians install, service and repair electrical wiring and connect to power in all types of buildings from domestic to industrial. They
Are you interested in how chemical processes and biological systems interact? What is Biochemistry all about? Biochemist So, what do they do? Biochemists examine how chemical processes impact living organisms. They can investigate how a disease develops and spreads. Their research then assists with the investigation diagnosis and