News
Flying High
14/01/2015
€500,000 Aerospace Centre Announced for IT Carlow as the Institute confirms Half of Final Year Gaming and Software Students have secured employment.
IT Carlow has launched its CAO campaign with the announcement of a €500,000 self-funded Aerospace Centre that will provide students of its School of Engineering with an “aircraft maintenance environment” to ensure up-to-the-minute industry skills. This on-campus centre, which is unique to a third-level institute in Ireland, will be officially opened in the coming weeks.
“Aviation is one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the world. IT Carlow offers degree courses in Aero Engineering and Pilot Studies and is also the only third-level institute in the country to offer a Bachelor of Engineering in Aircraft Systems. Our Aerospace Centre, which will be launched in the coming weeks, will provide invaluable industry experience and make our graduates even more attractive to airlines and specialist aircraft maintenance employers, both in Ireland and internationally. More than 90% of our graduates on these courses are employed within the sector or go on to further study and are enjoying careers with prestigious organisations such as the European Space Agency, Aer Lingus, British Airways, the UK’s Ministry of Defence and DLR (German Space Agency)”, said Dr. Donnacha Lowney, Head of the Dept. of Aerospace, Mechanical and Electronic Engineering at IT Carlow.
IT Carlow’s Aerospace Centre follows on from the opening last year of the self-funded €7.4million dedicated research building, The Dargan Centre, which houses up to 150 research students working on bioenvironmental technologies, product design & innovation, computer gaming and health sciences, including the CMH (Centre for Men’s Health) - the only dedicated research centre for men’s health in the country. Both centres are part of the Institute’s strategic plan that includes continued industry collaboration, increased post graduate research and ongoing investment in undergraduate courses such as Aero Engineering and Computer Games Development.
IT Carlow confirmed that, on average, 90% of graduates find employment on graduation, mostly in the counties of South Leinster and Dublin and that there is strong interest from employers in its Gaming and Software Development graduates. “IT Carlow was the first third-level institute in Ireland to offer a Bachelor of Science in Computer Games Development which we developed with the assistance and endorsement of Microsoft and our BSc. Students in Software Development have exclusive use of our UNUM Software Development Centre. Almost half of this year’s final year students have already been offered jobs within the computer game industry and ICT sector”, commented Nigel Whyte, Head of Computing & Networking, IT Carlow.
“We continue to have great success in collaborating with companies such as Microsoft and Unum for our Software and Games Development degree courses and with sporting bodies such as the FAI, IRFU and Leinster Rugby Club in partnership with whom we deliver degree courses in Sport & Exercise which is the only collaboration of its kind in Europe. Our postgrad numbers have grown by 200% in the last three years. We now have 300 students registered across a range of some 13 postgraduate programmes including Degrees of Master (Research) and Doctor of Philosophy”, added Mr. Whyte.
IT Carlow consistently comes top of the CAO first preferences for Institutes of Technology, according to the Institute which sees an annual average of 12,000 students apply for up to 70 Higher Certificate and Degree courses via the CAO whose deadline this year is 1st February. Since its founding in 1970, IT Carlow has generated more than 40,000 graduates. It currently ranks as the fourth largest of Ireland’s 14 Institutes with 7,500 enrolments.
FLYING HIGH - Aidan Martin (8yrs) from Carlow town revels in exploring the new €500,000 Aerospace Centre at IT Carlow that will provide students of its School of Engineering with an “aircraft maintenance environment” to ensure up-to-the-minute industry skills. . IT Carlow offers degree courses in Aero Engineering and Pilot Studies and is also the only third-level institute in the country to offer a Bachelor of Engineering in Aircraft Systems.
-ENDS-
For reference: Alma Feeley, IT Carlow
t: 059 9175098/087 8204934
e:alma.feeley@itcarlow.ie
