Derry teachers offered 'unique opportunity' to mark Women in Engineering Day

GEMX organised a female only Teacher CPD (Continuous Professional Development) day on Women in Engineering Day (23rd June) to specialist North West engineering and manufacturing companies AE Global, Nelipak and DuPont.

Subsequent events will include male and female teachers but as GEMX Project Director Joanne Sweeny explained, 23rd June provided a unique opportunity.

Joanne Sweeny said: “It is extremely important for teachers who are delivering technology subjects and providing careers advice to experience the real world of manufacturing and engineering.

IN PICTURES: GEMX earmark Women in Engineering Day for unique Teacher event in Derry

Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography

“Given the level of positive feedback from this event, GEMX intends to make events like this a regular occurrence in our activity calendar.  Women in Engineering Day provided us with a unique opportunity to focus on female teachers. ”

GEMX, supported by Invest NI, is a collaborative network of engineering and manufacturing companies from the North West. GEMX companies engage with students and teachers to raise the profile of the sector while also developing a pipeline of talent.

Maeve Mc Menamin from Lumen Christi College said: “As a career’s teacher, I am delighted to get the chance to visit local companies and engage first-hand with people who can inspire and advise our young people.

"I also see this as a great way of developing networks which will enable schools to arrange guest speakers and site visits to enhance curriculum delivery”.

Chair of GEMX, Paul Kirkpatrick from DuPont said: “We welcome the support and involvement from manufacturing and engineering organisations in the region.

“It is our vision that the North West will become a centre of excellence for the engineering and manufacturing sectors and events like today will hopefully bring that vision a step further.”

Each of the three companies visited provided an overview of what they do, including details of training opportunities and career pathways. Tours were also provided to enable teachers to gain an understanding of the work that it is carried out at the various plants and well as facilitating the development of professional networks. 

Mark Sweeney, Production Manager at AE Global said: “Companies must recognise the need for the support of education if we are going to attract the right talent into our sector.

GEMX ‘WOMEN IN ENGINEERING’ CELEBRATIONS. . . . .The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Patricia Logue pictured at Friday’s the Women in Engineering Day’s Female-Only Teacher CPD (Continuous Professional Development) event to AE Global premises at Campsie, Derry. The ladies also visited Nelipak and DuPont as part of the day’s activities. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)

“There are great opportunities for interesting, challenging careers in manufacturing and engineering, so companies need to provide schools with information and support.”

Gavin Killeen from NuPrint Technologies has said: “This is an extremely interesting and challenging area of employment with a vast range of opportunities.

“We have employers in our network from areas such as agriculture, chemicals, printing, food, electronics and clothing. Employment entry levels are varied so interested students can progress their education in a flexible way, with vocational routes on the apprenticeship ladder now being available from Level 2 upwards.

"Education can continue alongside work if that is how a person prefers to progress within their career.”