Engineers forecast to play key role in 'smart economy'

THE REPUBLIC is now home to seven of the world’s top 10 information and communications technology companies, 15 of the top 25 medical device companies and nine of the top pharmaceutical companies, the president of professional body Engineers Ireland, Dr Jim Browne, said yesterday.

Speaking in advance of Engineers’ Week – a nationwide series of over 70 events promoting engineering as a career which runs from Monday – Dr Browne predicted that engineers would be in high demand as Ireland makes the transition to a “smart economy”.

He maintained the conversion to green energy alone would provide many opportunities for engineers in the future – a point underscored by Eirgrid which said that the recruitment of engineers would be vital to the planned €4 billion investment in the national grid.

Investment in infrastructure and commercialisation of research and development would, said Dr Brown, play a significant part in ensuring engineers were instrumental to Ireland’s economic recovery. Among the projects planned by the 23,000-member body for the coming week are attempts to launch a rocket in Athlone, Co Westmeath, scuba diving in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin and demonstrations of a flight simulator in Co Clare.

Siemens will launch a “discovery box” aimed at introducing primary schoolchildren to science and technology. Children will be able to conduct experiments in a supervised environment.

Other events during the week will range from instruction in how to make a balloon-powered car to making a windmill.

Commenting on the week’s activities, Dr Browne said engineers used to be associated purely with buildings and machines, but the industry was evolving to meet the changing needs for new types of engineers all the time.

The week is also scheduled to feature an address by Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Tánaiste Mary Coughlan.

A full list of events by county can be viewed on the project’s website, www.weekofwonder.ie