The Smart Futures STEM Careers Week kicked off last night with the release of our first STEM Careers panel session, answering student questions, about what it’s like to work in science.
Tonight, we’re delighted to introduce our four-part STEM Careers video series, exploring the world of work in the areas of science, technology and engineering, as well as looking at the role of maths in these careers.
The videos are designed to support Leaving Cert students making final CAO choices and Junior Cert students making subject choices, as well as being a useful resource for parents, teachers and guidance counsellors. We hope you enjoy them! Don’t forget to join in the conversation on Twitter using #smartfutures.
Smart Futures, which is part of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, is an initiative designed to promote the uptake of STEM subjects and highlight the variety of career opportunities to second level students, teachers and parents. The week, coordinated by Discover Science & Engineering (DSE) – Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)’s educational outreach programme – highlights the opportunities available in these sectors and gives students access to industry representatives in an online forum.
Commenting on the launch of the Smart Futures STEM Careers Week, Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General, SFI said: “The opportunities available to students in STEM Careers are second-to-none. In the last month alone we have seen medical devices company Nypro Healthcare announce 200 new jobs for Waterford. Indeed, Ireland is the largest MedTech employer in the EU, with almost 25,000 employed in the sector. Other major employers of STEM graduates include ICT, software, pharma, social media and gaming companies – for example four technology companies announced up to 100 new jobs last week. STEM careers are thriving in Ireland and it is vital that our young students are in a position to avail of these exciting opportunities.”
Commenting on the initiative, Mr Seán Sherlock, T.D. Minister for Research and Innovation said: “New technologies and innovation will be central to Ireland’s economic recovery and will shape the future for the next generation of our students. It is critical that students embrace all of the necessary skills that will be needed for them to avail of the wide range of exciting job opportunities that are available in sectors such as ICT, medical devices and energy.”
Susan Moran, Director of the Global Customer Interaction Centre of SAP, one of the participating companies, said: “At SAP we invest heavily in students and approximately 80% of the graduates who come in on work placements end up staying on and working with us. Attracting high-quality graduates is a priority for us as they bring fresh and innovative thinking, which is crucial for the development and success of our company. Smart Futures allows us the opportunity to talk to second level students that might be considering a career in science, technology, engineering or maths, to inform them about what a career in the industry is really like and to help advise them on how they can get started.”
