New hi-tech equipment gifted to GMIT Engineering Dept
Students in GMIT's Department of Electronics & Electrical Engineering are to benefit from new equipment gifted to the college by US multinational company Rockwell Automation through its Galway agent Flaherty Markets.
Second year students of the B. Eng Electrical Services and Automation programme were introduced to the new Allen-Bradley programmable controller and simulator at a special presentation in the college this week.
The majority of students on this programme are experienced, fully qualified electricians who came back to college in 2011 to up-skill. They were eligible to directly enter year two of the three-year engineering degree programme due to their prior learning and experience.
GMIT is now accepting applications for the September 2012 intake, which once again allows successful applicants to directly start their studies in year two of the programme, closing date 31 March.
Lecturer Barry Finnegan says "The new engineering programme is proving to be a great success, popular with its mostly mature students and still in demand from qualified electricians who are out of work and wish to up-skill. This new equipment ensures the department has cutting edge control technology and we are most grateful to Rockwell Automation and its agent Faherty Markets for this donation."
"We have 100 % retention rate on this programme. In September 2011 we accepted 18 full-time students and each of them has committed to it fully. Many of them had never been in full-time third level education prior to coming to GMIT. The 18 fully registered students who initially started Year 2 in September 2011 are still on-board and in full attendance."
"It's a good time to do this degree. Exports over the last two years have grown by almost 15%, led in no small part by manufacturing. We are preparing our students through "Services & Automation" to maintain and enhance this manufacturing base, not only in the west but nationally also".
"Student feedback is very positive, many of them saying it is life-changing and a real eye-opener into the world of engineering." adds Barry Finnegan.
Ray Weldon, lecturer on automation, says: "As a consequence of the massive increase in industrial output and exports, recent surveys by GMIT have indicated that the job prospects for these students are very good."
"Another very beneficial aspect of this programme is that each student will be placed in industry for three to six months near the end of third year, and this will enhance their prospects for full time employment greatly".
For further information on this GMIT Engineering programme, see http://www.gmit.ie/engineering/electronic/level-7-programmes/beng-esae…
Pictured, below right, are students and staff with some of the new equipment with Basil Larkin (3rd right), Faherty Markets, Galway agent for Rockwell Automation.
