The profession of engineering has been one of the biggest beneficaries of the current economic boom. After several lean years in the 1980s, the sector is now flourishing and, with the Government planning to spend billions on new infrastructural projects, demand for engineering graduates has a long way to go before it peaks.
For school-leavers weighing it up as a career option this is good news, and thousands of students will no doubt put various engineering courses at the top of their CAO list again this year.
With plenty of work, more varied career choices and rising salaries, you would think engineers would be walking on air. Not so.
The profession's representative body, the Institution of Engineers of Ireland (IEI), says there is a significant shortage of engineers and technicians in the State, and if this continues it could negatively impact on economic growth and on implementation of the national development plan.
The IEI says there are other problems, too, including a decline in the interest among qualified school-leavers in engineering as a career.
"Current problems include some engineering courses not being filled at all, and a high dropout rate in an increasing number of courses, particularly at diploma and certificate level".
The profession is also worried about the continuing problem of attracting women into the sector. Female students currently make up 17 per cent of all engineering undergraduates, says the IEI, and less than 6 per cent of the engineering workforce.
These difficulties are not necessarily a problem for school-leavers. A shortage is a good thing for those entering the profession because it normally means salaries for graduates rise.
Changes in Entry
Apart from these issues, students should also pay close attention to the new entry systems in some of the universities for engineering.
Take UCD, for example. For many years it operated an "omnibus" entry where students entered a general engineering course and specialised later.
This has now been scrapped, and engineering has been split into six degree courses: agricultural and food engineering (DN070), chemical engineering (DN071); civil engineering (DN072); electronic or electrical engineering (DN073); mechanical engineering (DN074); or civil engineering or mechanical engineering (DN075).
This is known as denominated entry and represents a radical change in the way engineering is offered at third level.
UCC has split its engineering offering into three degrees, and NUI Galway is offering an omnibus entry plus another eight engineering degrees.
NUI Galway did this last year, and the points required for the various options varied. While industrial engineering (GY404) finished at 355 points, to do biomedical engineering you needed 450.
One thing to remember at NUI Galway is that it holds its own maths exam after the Leaving Cert for students who fear they may not have got an honour at higher level in the Leaving.
The exam is along similar lines to the Leaving Cert, but it offers students a second chance if they made a mess the first time. Contact NUI Galway admissions office for details.
There have been great debates in academic circles about the changes to the entry systems. This is the first year for UCD to try the denominated option, and its dean of engineering and architecture, Prof Vincent Dodd, says the change was needed because the old omnibus system caused great stress among students.
"In the old system, students all came into a common first year of engineering and then had to go through another CAO-type `hoop' to gain entry to the discipline of their choice. Now they will be able to specify their degree programme preference in their initial CAO application," he says.
He claims the pressure on students to get into their favourite specialisation in second year was causing the kind of strain normally associated with the Leaving Cert.
The result under the old system was, Prof Dodd says, that up to 20 per cent of engineering students in second year were pursuing a subject they didn't want to.
Another change has also taken place at UCD. The old omnibus entry required all students to have at least a B3 in higher-level maths for entry. This has now been dropped to a minimum of a C3, except for electronic or electrical engineering.
Prof Dodd says this change and the move to a denominated system are "aimed at bringing the range of engineering degree programmes in UCD to as wide a market as possible".
Academics differ on the changes. Prof John Ringwood, of the electronic engineering department at NUI Maynooth, says: "School-leavers, who generally have a hazy impression of what engineering in general is about, are forced to elect for a specialisation upfront, without the benefit of any familiarity with that area".
He says Maynooth offers students the chance to transfer right up until year 3 if they are unhappy with their choice. Such transfers are also available in some of the other universities, but not necessarily that late in the course.
What all this means is more research. It means you must not only research engineering, but the different disciplines within it. You have to decide whether you want to keep your options open or specialise. If you choose to keep your options open, Trinity College is still offering an omnibus entry degree (TR032).
Its dean, Dr Brian Foley, says the university has no plans to change. A minimum of a C3 is required, and last year 420 points were needed.
Institutes of Technology
There are many good certificate and diploma courses in engineering at the institutes of technology (ITs).
The maths requirement for the ITs is lower than for the universities, with most diplomas/certificates requiring only a B3 at ordinary level.
In recent years the ITs have also been offering more degree programmes, with Cork and Waterford offering the most engineering degrees. Some of these require a C3 or more in higher-level maths.
One problem which has afflicted some ITs is a high dropout rate from their engineering courses.
Courses in many ITs (including Tralee, Athlone and Carlow) were AQA (they accepted "all qualified applicants") last year, and this means some weaker students got places.
Some of these struggle to cope with the courses and drop out. Either way, you need to be certain you want engineering and you have to ask yourself searching questions about whether you are good enough at maths or "problem-solving" skills to prosper in the area.
Information meetings
The National College of Ireland is holding two information meetings for students. The first is at the Ambassador Hotel, Naas Road, on Tuesday, January 23rd, from 7 to 9 p.m. The second will be in the Royal Hotel, Bray, on Monday, January 29th, from 7 to 9 p.m.