Bish Students take Part in Building and Civil Engineering Workshops in GMIT

A group of secondary school students from St Joseph’s Patrician College (The Bish), Galway, took part in workshop and lab sessions in GMIT’s Department of Building & Civil Engineering recently as part of a new collaborative arrangement between the GMIT department and the award-winning Galway TechnoTeachers Association.

A short video clip of the school visit which shows the department facilities and laboratories, as well as interviews with staff and students about career opportunities and industry placements.

The new GMIT & TechnoTeachers Association partnership was set up to raise awareness of programmes, subjects and innovative developments in the changing construction sector as well as the industry opportunities presented to graduates. The group will promote construction and technology engineering at third level as well as second-level subject areas of Construction, Technology and Design & Communications Graphics (DCG) directly to students, parents and teachers.

The group of thirty-five students from the Bish and the Secretary of Galway Techno Teachers Seamus Calahan attended the first information talks and rotating lab demonstrations in Structures, Hydraulics, Concrete, Surveying and Architectural Technology.

Seamus Calahan, St Joseph’s Secondary School Galway, commented that “through these links students who are already under extreme pressure from the Leaving Certificate can make more informed decisions about their future career choices. It is also hoped that this relationship between the secondary teachers and the college can help to reduce the numbers dropping out of third level courses due to making incorrect choices."

Mary Rogers, Head of Dept of Building & Civil Engineering, says it’s important that parents and pupils are kept informed of the changes and innovations in this sector: “The GMIT Department of Building and Civil Engineering has already introduced modules in Building Information Modelling (BIM) into several of its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in recognition of its global importance. We in education are currently facing a huge challenge to ensure that our graduates are fully conversant with BIM and the BIM process in order to meet the challenges and lead in the use of new technologies to improve our efficiencies in construction processes.”

“The use of new technologies allows companies to export the service rather than the graduate to the world-wide market. BIM studies have been embedded in our Architectural Technology programme since 2006 and the new B. Eng. Hons in Civil Engineering has included BIM processes in their final year, evidenced in the high quality achieved in their project work. The Quantity Surveying and Construction Management programmes have also embraced the new technologies and processes and it is our aim that all Built Environment students leave this Institute competent in BIM processes. We are also currently offering a BIM certificate through Springboard and have a student undertaking a Masters by Research in BIM. Many of our recent graduates have entered the marketplace with the correct profile of sustainable construction, technological and IT skills ensuring employability even in these lean times.”

“We are delighted to have developed a mutually beneficial alliance with the Techno Teachers in Galway and their students. We will be opening our doors to engage in a practice of furthering knowledge through practical laboratory sessions for second level students and promoting awareness to students and their parents of the opportunities available for those interested in the Engineering and Built Environment sectors as a rewarding career.”

The GMIT Department of Building & Civil Engineering has three new abinitio level 8 programmes in CAO 2013 for this September: B.Sc (Honours) in Architectural Technology (GA483), B.Sc (Honours) in Construction Economics and Quantity Surveying (GA482), B.Eng (Honours) in Civil Engineering (GA484). Read more about the Department of Building & Civil Engineering at: http://www.gmit.ie/engineering/building-civil/index.html