Meath engineers called on to help promote maths in local schools

The Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe, has issued a 'call to arms' to rally volunteer engineers to go into schools across Meath to enthuse students about maths as part of Engineers Week 2010. Speaking at a photocall with business leaders, Mr O'Keeffe welcomed the Engineers Ireland initiative and called on engineers and businesses to support the day. "I strongly welcome the efforts of Engineers Ireland to promote everyday understanding of maths in schools through Volunteer Day and Engineers Week more broadly. These initiatives support the Government's strategy to move more students into science and technology-based higher education courses. Our curriculum reform plan - Project Maths - will begin in all post-primary schools in September as part of efforts to radically reform the way the subject is taught and make it more relevant and accessible," he said. Engineers Week is a campaign held annually by Engineers Ireland to promote engineering as a career and the importance of the industry to Ireland. Volunteer Day on Thursday 11th February, will be a key day in Engineers Week 2010, which runs from 8th to 13th February. On that day, it is planned that volunteer engineers, with the co-operation of local schools, will enter classes in Meath and across the country and spend a few hours working with pre-Junior Certificate students to improve their knowledge and appreciation of maths through puzzles and worksheets. John Power, Engineers Ireland director-general, said: "Engineers Week is a critical campaign in the engineering calendar. Engineers Ireland believes there is a direct link between the decreasing numbers studying maths and the shortage of engineers entering Irish industry. Leaving Certificate results showed that just 16 per cent of students took honours maths, which is down on the 2008 figures. We need our students to become more comfortable with maths as it is a fundamental building block towards a career in engineering. "Ireland already has a deficit of engineers and the situation is becoming more severe. A ready supply of engineers is critical to the smart economy and emerging industries such as the green sector." Business Leaders have come out in force to show their support for the initiative. Representing industry on the day was Paul Rellis, managing director, Microsoft Ireland; Leonard Hobbs, Intel Ireland Research; Eamonn Quinn, chairman, Nualight, and Paul Mallee, president of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. Paul Rellis said: "Ireland's economic recovery will be powered by innovation. To be successful, we will need to have innovators in all walks of life and across all disciplines as there are no restrictions or guidelines on who can be innovative. Engineers will have a central role to play in bringing innovative thinking to industry, to business and to research. "In the smart economy, there will be jobs and opportunities that we haven't even thought of yet. It is critically important that we have sufficient young people in our economy who have been trained with the right skills to enable them to participate fully in - and to help further develop - this smart economy. Engineers will be central to this. Industry has the opportunity and a responsibility to play our part in helping young people understand the wide range of roles that a degree in engineering opens up to them. We can do this by supporting Volunteers Day in February 2010." To get involved, contact the engineering team on (01) 665 1340 or email info@steps.ie