Today saw the launch of Engineers Ireland’s inaugural Engineering Project of the Year award.
The Engineers Ireland Excellence Awards, in association with ESB, will take place in November and feature a number of different categories designed to highlight the best of Irish engineers and Irish engineering. These include Chartered Engineer of the Year, Engineering News Story of the Year, Best Paper / Presentation of the Year, Best Webcast of the Year and Volunteer of the Year. The closing date for submissions for the awards is 5pm on Friday, 20 August.
“The Engineering Project of the Year award is specifically designed through an online public vote to highlight to the Irish people the businesses that ensure the engineering community contributes some €5.5bn directly to the economy on an annual basis. Engineers are responsible for the improved infrastructure – roads, rail, communications, air travel and technology – that allows Ireland to compete on an international stage at what is a crucial juncture in our nation’s economic development. They are also central to the advances that have been made in the biomedical and pharmaceutical arenas that have benefited society both in Ireland and globally,” said John Power, director general, Engineers Ireland.
European Union funding to create further opportunity for engineers
Power also welcomed the announcement of the European Union’s €6.4bn plan for research and innovation, saying it offers a great opportunity to the Irish engineering sector and Ireland.
“This latest EU announcement is encouraging and supports the Government’s efforts to boost interest in research and innovation, meaning opportunities for creative and entrepreneurial engineers. Engineers are a large community that have played an important role in Ireland’s expansion over the last two decades and who will be key to leading Ireland out of the current downturn through innovation and the growth of the Smart Economy,” he said.
