The OEM Engineering Apprenticeship join partner company Irish Rail for IWish 2024

The OEM Engineering Apprenticeship Team were delighted to join partner company Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail to attend the IWish 2024 event in the RDS on February 8th.

Irish Rail provided free of charge dedicated IWish return trains to Dublin, from Cork, Tralee, Killarney, Charleville, Thurles, Mallow, Sligo, Portlaoise, Galway, Kildare, Newbridge, Limerick, Waterford, Kilkenny and Carlow.  Bus Éireann also partnered once again, providing free return busses from Heuston Station to the event. 

Irish Rail and OEM Engineering Apprenticeship personnel travelled with 140 secondary school students from Limerick, who as part of their journey were given the opportunity to try their hand at simple engineering tasks such as building circuit boards.

IWish, the social enterprise inspiring girls globally to consider careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM), welcomed more than 3,000 female students to its 10th annual showcase at the RDS, Dublin. This year’s event boasted a line-up of over 50 influential speakers including former President of Ireland and current Chair of The Elders Mary Robinson.

Mrs Robinson said: “I was delighted to join IWish again this year, marking their 10th anniversary. It was an honour to be part of an event that ignites the spark of possibility in the hearts of young women. As a staunch supporter of ‘girl power’, I witness its transformative impact every day through my work.”

She continued, “I recognise and applaud the profound influence that organisations like I Wish have on teenage girls, assisting them to embrace their power, and enabling them to forge paths in careers they are passionate about. Seeing is believing for young minds. Together, let us inspire and pave the way for a generation of fearless trailblazers, breaking barriers and shaping a world where every dream is within reach.”  

Over the past decade, IWish has engaged with more than 60,000 students, hosted close to 1,000 speakers, and partnered with more than 50 industry leaders.

For full highlights of the event click here: https://youtu.be/Ly09X9-akDE?si=sh8qWg3LJHrtNcd7

The OEM Engineering Apprenticeship is committed to increasing the number of female apprentices onto the programme and greatly value such initiatives as IWish in encouraging more women to come forward and embark on a career in STEM.

The OEM Engineering Apprenticeship is a three-year QQI Level 6 programme consisting of both on-the job and off-the-job blocks and is suitable for those currently employed in engineering companies, school leavers, career switchers and mature applicants wishing to pursue a career as a qualified OEM Engineering Technician. On-the-job learning takes place within the company and the learner also attends off-the-job education and training on a block release basis at either the CMETB Monaghan Institute Campus or LCETB Raheen Training Centre in Limerick.

The OEM Engineering Apprenticeship serves to fill the skills gap faced by Irish engineering companies and offers participants a rewarding and exciting career path from the moment the apprenticeship begins. For employers, this is an excellent opportunity to recruit talented new apprentices who are passionate about their chosen career path in mechanical, robotic and electronic engineering.

Click the link below for more information on the OEM Engineering Apprenticeship.