Lack of science students threat to economy

THE drop-off in the number of students at second-level taking science and technology subjects is threatening the supply into third-level engineering and technology disciplines, a leading academic said yesterday.

Prof Michael Hillery, Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Limerick, described the situation as “worrying’’ and warned that if not corrected, it would have a crippling effect on Ireland’s future industrial and economic development.

“Government, industry and the educational establishments will have to urgently address and find a solution to this problem without delay,’’ he said.

The slight decline in manufacturing activity in the past 12 months, with 3,500 job losses, was also described as “worrying’’ by Prof Hillery.

“Thankfully, this decline will not continue when one considers that the latest economic forecast places Ireland as one of the richest countries in the world by the year 2005, with an export market of over 90 for its manufactured goods, mainly to Europe and its hinterland.

Speaking at a conferring ceremony, Prof. Hillery said that the full-time employment in engineering, manufacturing and associated industry presently stands at an all-time record high level of 316,000 people.

“The acknowledged key factor in this national success has been, and continues to be, the availability of highly competent engineering and technological graduates,’’ he said.

He revealed that many of the UL engineering graduates were heading up some of the leading multinational companies, not only in Ireland but in countries such as Japan, Malaysia, USA and Britain.

College of Science Dean Prof Julian Ross said a Government task force report on the physical

sciences at second level highlighted the lack of suitably qualified teachers for the subjects; a lack of understanding among school children of the importance of science and technology to the economy and of the exciting job opportunities open to them.

Brian Mahony of Tipperary town was awarded a silver medal for first place in the College of Engineering and Patrick O’Dwyer, Bansha, Co Tipp, was first place in the College of Science.