IT'S an exciting career with excellent career prospects," says Dr Eliathamby Ambikairajah, head of the School of Engineering at Athlone RTC. The college's national diploma in mineral engineering course is the only such course in the country.
Athlone RTC is the country's only centre for mineral engineering and the only college producing graduates who are ready to take up jobs specifically in the mining industry.
Ciaran Moran from Ballinrobe in Co Mayo is a third-year diploma student who hopes to go to Leeds University next year to pursue his studies and is enthusiastic about the course. He says that the field trips are great and "definitely the course's best feature, especially compared to other courses where you are stuck in college". He is currently at Tara Mines learning about processing. "It's very valuable," he says.
He's already looking forward to the idea of working either at home or abroad, and he knows there are plenty of travel opportunities for graduates to mining countries, like Australia, South Africa and South America.
Another classmate, Vivian O'Dea, from Loughmore in Co Tipperary, is also at Tara Mines. She hopes to go on to Leeds University when she graduates from Athlone RTC next year. She chose mineral engineering because of the potential job prospects coming up at Lisheen and Galmoy. "It's very interesting," she says. She loves the field work element especially.
The department was first opened in 1974. The first national diploma in mineral engineering, a full-time three-year course which leads to a career in the minerals industry, was offered to students in 1989. Since then it has produced 200 graduates. The job prospects for graduates include work at Tara, which is the largest zinc mine in Europe, and upcoming jobs at Galmoy, which is set to go into full production shortly and Lisheen in Co Tipperary, which has taken the initial steps to explore and produce its zinc deposits.
HE mineral engineering department has strong links with universities in England and Wales and students have the option of studying for a B Eng degree at the University of Leeds, the University of Doncaster, the University of Exeter or a BSc degree at Glamorgan University. In addition, the college also has negotiated specific arrangements with regard to the transfer of students to degree courses in the Camborne School of Mines in Cornwall and at the University of Portsmouth.
Field work is an integral part of the course. Some of the highlights include a visit to Tara Mines during first year; in second year, students spend a week in the townland of Moyvoughley near Moate, Co Westmeath learning about its geophysical make-up. Tony Power, head of the department of Civil Construction and Mineral Engineering, says that students travel to England Scotland and other parts of Ireland on field trips during their three years. Each group will spend three weeks in the Camborne School of Mines in Cornwall in the south-west of England carrying out project work and surveys.
Vivian O'Dea finds that the course does require a certain level of fitness and physical toughness out on site. There are times when field work can be strenuous when "you have to climb over fences". She agrees that there are more men than women in the field of mineral engineering. There are two women and 12 men in her class.
Currently according to Tony Power, approximately 90 per cent of students on the course are men.
It is worth noting that the course also has the added advantage of having small classes, with 22 in first year and 14 in second year. There are three full-time staff members in the department as well as a number of part-time lecturers.
Dr Ambikairajah says that Ireland is fast becoming one of the world's most important base metal producers. The course is designed to develop graduates who will be equipped for jobs at junior supervisor and junior engineering levels. Course subjects include geology, mineral extraction, surveying, mineral technology and electrical and mechanical engineering. The mineral industry requires trained personnel for research, development, production and management in all sectors of the industry. National diploma holders have a choice of job options including mineral exploration, underground and open-cast mining, quarrying and mineral processing.
SCHOLARSHIPS are also available to students who want to pursue their studies in England. The Irish Mining and Quarrying Society offers a scholarship to the best mineral engineering student to enable him or her to proceed to a degree course at another institution. Also, some of the universities in England, such as Leeds University, provide funding in the form of a bursary.
The Leaving Cert points level for entry to the course last September was 130 points. Although no science subject is essential, having a science subject would be an ad vantage. The entry requirements is grade D at ordinary level in five subjects in the Leaving Cert exam. Two of these subjects must be a language (English, Irish or other continental language) and maths.
