The number of engineering graduates from Irish colleges must increase by 2,200 a year to meet the demand, according to a recent IEI report. The report, entitled A Review of our Engineering Manpower Shortages at Degree and Technician levels, says this increase does not take into account the 500 extra engineers which it suggest will be required to implement the design and development work associated with the National Development Plan.

In one initiative to attract students, called Steps (Schools Technology and Engineering Programme for Skills), which is organised by The Institute of Engineers of Ireland, will visit engineering companies around the country in November. Keep an eye on its website at www.iei.ie/steps for more details about these visits. Students will be welcomed on-site for lectures, tours and question and answer sessions at plants throughout the country, including Cork, Limerick, Waterford, Dublin and Galway. Earlier this year, over 500 students visited over 25 engineering companies through the programme.