ESBI judges at K’NEX Primary School Challenge

Ocean energy (ESBI) manager Colm DeBurca joined judges from National University of Ireland Galway and Waterford Institute of Technology at this summer's STEPS to Engineering K'NEX Challenge, a competition which is designed to introduce primary pupils to the world of engineering.

More than 22,000 pupils from 750 schools around Ireland took part, with each team of two children competing against the clock using their imagination, creativity and skill to plan, design and construct an engineering model. Pupils worked to the theme - ‘celebrating the past, creating the future’, with the educational construction toy, K’NEX.

The K’NEX Challenge is just one of the activities run by the Engineers Ireland STEPS to Engineering programme, designed to encourage students to explore the world of engineering and science, and raise awareness of the fantastic career opportunities. It is reported that the supply of engineering professionals will need to increase by 7% a year between now and 2020 if Ireland is to reach its potential to become one of the world's top five economies.