Welcome to our resource page listing a number of Transition Year and student work placement initiatives for secondary students interested in getting placements with organisations in the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) areas.
Smart Futures WorkXperience
Every year thousands of students across Ireland undertake short periods of time in the workplace to get a sample of what working life is like. Equally, thousands of employers support these students in this important first step into the world of work by allowing them experience the normal day-to-day activities of their business.
These valuable experiences have been shown to be very influential in the choices students make at the beginning of their career path.
The WorkXperience programme links together employers, teachers, parents and students to encourage successful and rewarding work placements for all involved.
Search for work placements in career areas involving science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Please note that some of these work placements may now be full for this year. New companies will be joining the programme over the coming months and offering new placements so make sure to check back regularly for new opportunities.
Companies welcome to get involved
We welcome all employers to participate in this National Work Experience programme. Getting involved is easy and it is completely free, but most importantly it supports the development of our future workforce!
Each year, thousands of young students from transition year and the leaving certificate years go on work placements and enjoy the opportunity to not only learn about the world of work and explore possible career options but also to actively develop skills for future enterprise and employability. These work placements give students the opportunity to gain a real insight into working in a STEM area.
The WorkXperience programme provides a framework that encourages best practice in the delivery of work placements. It provides employers with a range of resources that make it easier to manage the daily activities of students, with lots of ideas on activities that can benefit both. Teachers from schools participating in the programme are encouraged to prepare students appropriately, and are provided with all the resources needed to ensure a rewarding experience for their students.
Go to www.workxperience.ie and register your organisation now or contact us on (01) 440 2314 for further information.
‘Engineering Your Future’ TY programme – March 2013
Engineers Ireland’s STEPS programme has launched Engineering Your Future, a week-long, hands-on programme aimed at Transition Year students who have an interest in science and maths.
The programme is designed to introduce TY students to the exciting and diverse world of engineering, and to help them gain a better understanding of the career opportunities available to qualified engineers. Students will get to meet engineers at various stages in their careers and to experience what engineers do on a daily basis through industry visits.
A number of third-level institutes around the country are participating in the programme: DIT and UCD in Dublin, CIT in Cork, and IT Carlow.
Participation is limited to between 20 and 40 students at each venue. Successful applicants will be identified based on a number of factors including Junior Certificate maths and science results and reasons for seeking a place on the programme. The deadline for applications is Friday 22nd March, and the programme will run in May. Students are advised to visit the website to make an application.
CRANN – ‘Experience Nano’
CRANN is Ireland’s leading nano and materials science institute and hosts two “Experience Nano” weeks for TY students yearly, one in Spring and one in Autumn. CRANN takes 15 students each week from around the country and selects students who are particularly interested in pursuing science as a career when they leave school. Students learn about the basics of nanoscience through lectures and lab workshops with postgraduate students and get to see advanced electron microscopes which are used to understand tiny materials like transistors in computer chips and medical devices.
Students also learn about how CRANN works with industry partners e.g. Intel and about the commercialisation of research. Application forms and further details are available here. Please note that CRANN can only take one student from each school.
Science Gallery’s COOL JOBS for Transition Year
COOL JOBS at Science Gallery is an event where Transition Year students get to interact with a range of people from interesting and exciting companies about their careers in COOL JOBS. 
An afternoon event held in November each year, COOL JOBS includes a range of activities including ‘Day in the Life ‘ talks, SEED dating and Club Sessions, where students get an idea of what types of careers and areas of study are out there for them.
COOL JOBS aims to give students a greater understanding of what their skill sets are, how they can apply them, and the opportunities for creative and lateral thinking in science, engineering and technology.
Past participating companies include Deloitte, Google, IBM, Intel, Dimplex Renewables, Micron Optical, Airmid Healthgroup, Eblana Photonics, ESBI, Oriflame Research and Development, as well as Trinity College Dublin’s largest research institute CRANN (Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices).
COOL JOBS for TY at Science Gallery is run in collaboration with CRANN and forms part of activities of the European Commission supported FP7 project KiiCS. Check out more information on COOL JOBS here.
Science Gallery mentoring programme
The Science Gallery mentoring programme is a week long programme for transition year students who are interested in looking at how science, art and design interact. The programme involves hands on workshops and interview sessions with leading scientists, engineers and artists as well as lab tours in university research labs and talks from representatives from innovative science and technology companies.
Participating students develop ideas for projects, upcoming exhibitions, and events, mentored by the Science Gallery team and external experts in science, the arts, culture, design, business and innovation.
Supported by Intel, Science Gallery holds mentoring weeks in Spring and Autumn each year. Each week has space for 20 students, drawn from all over Dublin, and from farther afield, with past participants joining from Monaghan, Westmeath, and Wicklow. More information and application forms are available here.
