53 rise in offaly students opting for science related courses

There has been a 53% increase in the number of Offaly students entering third level courses in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) since 2008, according to recent analysis by the Higher Education Authority (HEA).
Across the Midlands the number of students opting for STEM courses has increased by 41% in the six-year period. The highest increase is from Westmeath students with 60% more students progressing to STEM courses, but all four Midland counties have seen an increase, with a 35% increase in Laois and a 15% increase in Longford.
The news has been welcomed by local development company, Atlantic Corridor. CEO Jackie Gorman commented: “Atlantic Corridor warmly welcomes news of this rise in the number of Midlands STEM (science, technology, maths, engineering) students. We have been involved in the delivery of several annual STEM education events in association with our partners since 2008 to encourage young people from all backgrounds to participate in hands-on STEM projects. From our annual science conference to delivering the more fun, Canadian based programme ‘Jump Maths’ in local schools, it’s all about how we can engage more people in science and technology which is of course vital for growth and sustainability in our economy.”
SFI Discover, the education and public engagement programme of Science Foundation Ireland, organises national Science Week each year and the key aims are to catalyse, guide and inspire the best in STEM education and public engagement. Atlantic Corridor recently hosted the Midlands Science Festival for the second year as part of Science Week in order to promote the relevance of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in our everyday lives, with a focus on the four Midlands counties of Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath.
Jackie Gorman continued: “This year’s Midland Science Festival saw over 4,500 people in attendance across the region throughout the week at entertaining and educational science talks, shows workshops and demonstrations. One of the main objectives of this week is to demonstrate the many exciting career opportunities available within STEM disciplines and we hope that together, we can work towards attracting the right talent and inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers here in the Midlands.”
Atlantic Corridor is already engaged in a range of measures to help support national employment goals and this news is timely given the recent announcement that the Midlands will be a pilot area for a regional focus on Action Plan for Jobs next year. Many of the global medical technologies and pharmaceutical companies now have a dedicated presence in Ireland and it is therefore critical that we ensure the adequate talent pool is available to them here in the Midlands. A recent report by accountants Grant Thornton concluded that while Ireland continues to outperform its competitors in attracting FDI there are still issues that need to be addressed such as skills shortages within the ICT, science and engineering sectors.
Much of the good work being performed by Atlantic Corridor in STEM promotion is as a result of relevant global links and international partnerships which have been developed and fostered over the past ten years. In close cooperation with national and international partners and other State Agencies to foster the global l dimension of Ireland’s economic growth, Atlantic Corridor continues to provide effective international relations for a variety of projects.
By continuing to work with key corporate and academic partners, the hope is that the number of students pursuing STEM at third level will continue to rise and we can work towards ensuring the necessary human resource pool is in place here in our local economy.