With engineers benefiting from the construction boom, demand is high for their skills in the job market, writes Brian Mooney
Pay levels are good, with salaries of over €60,000 for civil engineers. Those with electrical/electronic degrees average €71,000 and those in software and computers average €81,000. Increased investment by both foreign and local companies means increased demand for engineers with various levels of degrees/certs, masters degrees, and PhDs in the coming years.
Routes into engineering/honours degrees
The traditional route into the engineering profession is through a four-year programme leading to an honours degree.
However, both ordinary degrees and higher national certificates are now available from all the third-level colleges.
Honours degrees are four-year programmes, accredited by the various engineering institutions, and graduates are qualified to become members of these institutions. They can then move on to postgraduate, masters or doctoral programmes.
In selecting a course of study for an honours degree, students should ensure that the appropriate engineering institution accredits their chosen programme.
Ordinary degrees/certs
Industry does not only require graduates with honours degrees to fill many of the technical positions available. They also require "engineering technologists", and many colleges, particularly the Institutes of Technology, offer ordinary degrees.
All colleges of technology operate the "ladder system", whereby students with a second-class honours grade in their higher national certificate and/or ordinary degree can progress to a higher degree. An ordinary engineering degree, therefore, offers a path to a career as a technician or technologist or can be a stepping-stone to an honours degree to those who do not enter college with higher-level Leaving Certificate mathematics.
What subjects do I need?
Physics is the most suitable of the science subjects for engineering. Most engineering faculties have moved from general degrees to specific disciplines, although the general route is still available in many colleges. The following are some of the branches of engineering available through the CAO at honours degree level 8:
Aeronautical (UL); chemical/process (UCC, UCD, CIT); electrical (DIT, UCC, UCD); electronic (all colleges); electronic and computing (DIT, TCD, UCG); civil/structural (TCD, UCC, UCD, UCG, CIT, DIT, Sligo IT); computer/software (DIT, TCD, DCU, UL, UCG); IT (UCG); industrial (UCG); environmental (TCD); mechanical/transport (TCD, UCD, UCG, UL, CIT, DIT); manufacturing (DIT, IT Tallaght, TCD, UL); materials/polymer (Athlone IT); biosystems (UCD); building services (DIT); mechatronic (DCU) and telecommunications (DCU). UL are also introducing a BEng in biomedical electronics in September.
New courses
UL has introduced a bachelor of engineering in robotic engineering and bachelor of science programmes in multimedia and computer games development and in software development and social change for 2006. UCD has introduced a new degree in bioprocess engineering (DN079). DIT now offers civil engineering through their common engineering programme (DT025).
Information technology
Significant growth is also expected in the area of software development and in high-value service activities such as business process, e-procurement, and supply-chain management. Students can take degree programmes in computer science, available through the CAO from DIT, TCD, UCC, NUI Maynooth, UCD, and Griffith College .
Degrees in information systems are available from UL, NUI Galway, DIT, DCU, and CIT. In the area of software development, programmes are available from ITs in Dublin , Letterkenny, Cork , Limerick , Athlone, and Carlow, and from UL, NUI Maynooth, TCD, the National College of Ireland, and DCU.
Further information
For a comprehensive guide to careers in engineering, consult the Engineers Ireland Steps website at http://www.iei.ie/steps
Prof Gerry Byrne's book Engineering as a Career is also available. Students and parents can also have questions relating to engineering answered at the DIT engineering web page.
Tomorrow: building and construction.
Brian Mooney's column on CAO options will appear each weekday in the run-up to the deadline at the end of this month.