TY students STEPS ul
Transition Year students Dharlie Caingies, Amina Costello, Fatima Sáchanez and Daire McGovern pictured taking part in the STEPS Engineering Your Future Programme at UL this week.
Thursday, 6 March 2025

Last week 30 Transition Year students from 22 secondary schools across Limerick, Clare, Tipperary and Galway visited the Faculty of Science and Engineering at University of Limerick to take part in the STEPS Engineering Your Future Programme (STEPS EYF).

STEPS EYF is an Engineers Ireland initiative to promote engineering as a career choice for transition year students. It is an engineering experience where, through a range of activities, students gain an insight into the world of professional engineering. 

Activities include interactive workshops, laboratory sessions, demonstrations, and tours. The event coincides with Engineers Week and is hosted by various third level institutes across Ireland. In UL, the event is delivered through the School of Engineering and the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering. 

Commenting on the week’s activities Coordinator Dr. Alan O’Donovan from the School of Engineering said: “We are delighted to once more host the STEPS EYF event. Engineers Ireland has created an excellent programme which allows transition years students to experience what it is to be an engineer, and we are happy to facilitate. 

“This year, activities included soldering, programming, robotics, flight simulation, and CAD, reflective of the wide range of offerings here in UL. I would like to compliment all the students on their engagement throughout the week and thank the many staff who volunteered to help deliver this event”.

Transition year student Fátima Sánchez from Colaiste Muire in Ennis really enjoyed the programme: “It’s really good because it gives you a broad overview of all the engineering disciplines, before I came to UL I knew I wanted to do engineering at third level but didn’t know which of the different pathways to choose, civil engineering is my favourite.” 

The weeklong programme of activities culminated with a trip to the Explore Engineering Showcase event on Thursday evening. Held in Shannon Airport, the annual event brought together over 60 engineering companies, organisations and educational institutions to give students, teachers and parents an insight into the various fields of engineering.

Follow this link to find out more about the STEPS Engineering Your Future Programme.