Stem South West expo reaches out to young learners

Encouraging school-goers to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and maths

Sarah O’Sullivan, St Angela’s Secondary; Elaine O’Donnell, Gilead Sciences; Aimee Hickson, Mahony St Aloysius College; and Marguerite O Sullivan, Stem Southwest chair, at the launch. Picture: Gerard McCarthy

Children and young learners in school should be encouraged to consider a career in Stem, particularly if Ireland is to maintain its trajectory as one of the foremost locations in the world for tech industry.

Stem South West takes place on Wednesday, April 6, a virtual exhibition that is free to students from all over the country, and aims to bring younger learners to the exciting world of science and technology, with a view to giving these great minds of tomorrow a glimpse into the huge array of possibilities and opportunities that await if they choose a career in any of the disciplines. 

Organisers have reported the “significant” impact the event has had in its short history with nine in 10 students who attended previous events (89%) saying that they would now be more likely to choose a career in Stem having attended the virtual expo. 

Stem South West is an industry-run initiative which is bringing together Ireland’s leading tech, pharma, science and engineering giants, alongside SMEs excelling in these sectors, to stage an epic virtual exhibition aimed at inspiring young minds and informing them of the benefits of a future career in Stem. 

This unique exhibition will feature demonstrations in virtual reality, robotics and astronomy, as well as thought-provoking talks from experts in the areas of construction, information technology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, electronics, weather-forecasting, agri-technology, environmental engineering, and cybersecurity.

“The career prospects and opportunities in Stem are quite literally endless," explains Marguerite O Sullivan, chair of Stem South West, and senior innovation engineer DePuy Synthes Johnson & Johnson. “The sector is growing continuously, existing roles are constantly developing, and new roles are always coming on stream. 

And it’s important for students to know that there isn’t just one route to a career in Stem.

"Yes, of course, a third-level qualification is a path that can be taken, but apprenticeships in the sector are always hugely valuable, and different companies run these programmes annually, providing opportunities for hundreds of school leavers. Furthermore, with more supply chain apprenticeships available, the diversity in the range of apprentices is continuously expanding, giving students an early experience of how they can impact the real work with practical know-how.” 

Apprenticeship is a system of training that incorporates on-the-job training with some accompanying study. Apprentices have the opportunity to earn a wage while they learn and build valuable skills through practical work experience. 

Earn and learn

“At present, there are 58 earn and learn career options and over 6,500 employers who have been approved to train apprentices. An apprenticeship can assist you in building valuable, work ready skills in your chosen field. 

"At Johnson & Johnson, we’re in the final stages of locking down the apprenticeships we will be offering this year, which are likely to be in materials science, CNC, electrical, process engineering and quality. These positions are open to all school leavers. In last year’s intake we had a 50/50 gender split which was excellent.”

The work Stem South West to promote the proliferation of Stem subjects of schools is integral, not just to the sector itself, but to the economic interests of the country. 

“If we don’t act now to address the skills gap that has been emerging, then Ireland’s economy will undoubtedly suffer in the long-term, as existing companies move out of the country, new companies no longer consider Ireland as a place to locate, and our indigenous IT organisations can longer operate due to a lack of workforce.” 

Ireland particularly needs to address the gender divide when it comes to Stem, as there continues to be lack of female representation in Stem roles. 

According to a the most recent CSO data, approximately 80% of all graduates in information and communication technologies and in engineering, were male. Also, a 2019 report conducted by the Stem Education Review Group of Ireland revealed that that there was a significant drop-off in interest in Stem subjects at Leaving Certificate, especially by women.