Careers

Ireland Needs Mechanical Engineers And Biomedical Engineers

"A continuation of the dramatic shortage in engineering graduates will negatively impact on economic investment into Ireland."

That's a quote from Dr. Werner Kruckow, head of the Irish division of international engineering giant Siemens, who make everything from gigawatt power stations to medical imaging systems. He was speaking in June 2008. A survey in October 2008 found that 1500 jobs were then available in Irish-based US companies, most of them in high technology. There is a real ongoing need for mechanical engineers and biomedical engineers, to sustain Ireland as an international centre of high-technology industry, to build innovative new industries, and to ensure a secure sustainable energy supply.
For all career information please contact the "Career Development Centre NUI Galway"

"Over the next two years an estimated €400 million will be spent by the private sector building an additional 400 MW of wind power."

Department of the Taoiseach, "Building Ireland's Smart Economy", December 2008
In March 2008, The ESB announced its €22 billion plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2035. In December 2008, the Irish government renewed its commitment to generate 40% of electrical energy from renewable sources by 2020. These are ambitious goals that can only be achieved by large numbers of talented, skilled engineers working together.

"Talent is in short supply to meet the increasing demands of the energy sector."

MERC Partners, "Staffing the Energy Industry: a Survey on Current and Future Energy Skills Needs", January 2009
Mechanical Engineering is one of the broadest and most established areas of technology and plays a major part in the development and wealth of communities and nations. The versatility of mechanical engineers allows them to work in a range of roles including research, design, project management, technical sales, computer-aided engineering, process control, manufacturing engineering, aeronautics, materials engineering and product development. In these roles they serve nearly every industry including the rapidly evolving energy sector.

49% of the medical device industry expects to increase its workforce in the coming year. A further 35% expects to maintain its number of employees.

Irish Medical Devices Association, "Medical Device Manufacturers Buck the Downward Trend", November 2008
Biomedical Engineering is a younger, specialised, rapidly evolving engineering discipline. Biomedical engineers integrate biology and medicine with engineering techniques to create devices and therapies that improve human health. They work in medical device development, manufacturing, consultancy, design and even in clinics and hospitals. They are vital to the success of the vibrant medical device industry clustered around Galway, where some of the world's largest manufacturers have their development centres and factories next door to start-up companies working on innovative technology.
Read more about the careers of some individual mechanical and biomedical engineers in our newsletters.
A significant proportion of graduates choose to develop a specialisation through an advanced Masters or PhD degree by research, either at Galway or at overseas universities. Some examples of their work can be found in the Research pages. Graduates of these courses are sought after and offered substantial scholarships at universities in the USA, UK and elsewhere.

Some employers of NUI Galway Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Graduates