As the CAO Change of Mind deadline on July1 looms, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) is reminded parents and students considering whether to study science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) at third level to visit www. smartfutures.ie.
Clare’s All-Ireland hurling final hero, Shane O’Donnell, who is studying genetics at University College Cork (UCC), is an ambassador for Smart Futures and will help Smart Futures highlight the opportunities available to young people in the areas of STEM.
Smart Futures is a Government-industry initiative providing access to STEM careers information and role models to second-level students, parents, teachers and careers guidance counsellors in Ireland. At this important time in the education calendar, this online resource will be important for parents looking for information about STEM careers, to help best support their children in making study and career decisions.
An online resource for students and parents alike, Smart Futures demonstrates the huge range of opportunities open to post-primary students that study STEM subjects at second and third-level. It includes real life career stories and video interviews with people working in sectors such as food and sport science, space research, cybersecurity, engineering, energy, biotechnology and medical devices.
A recent video details the career journey to date of Dr. Arlene O’Neill, a Smart Futures Ambassador, Physicist and Science Communicator at Trinity College Dublin and former Dublin Rose of Tralee. In addition, there are links on where to find details on STEM courses and careers – both national and international – available on the website.
PFor further information visit www.smartfutures.ie
ENDS
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.