Employers are so keen to snap up engineering graduates that colleges are finding it difficult to persuade sufficient students to stay on to postgraduate level.
The latest survey shows that 78 per cent of graduates with primary degrees in engineering went directly into employment, with 12 per cent opting for research or further study.
Three per cent were seeking work while 4.6 per cent were not available for work or study. Each year, the Higher Education Authority produces a report based on a survey of graduates carried out in April. This year's report, which will be published shortly, provides a snapshot of where the graduates of 1998 were last April, and is a useful indicator of graduate demand.
Overall, 60 per cent of primary degree graduates were working at the time of the survey. So, the proportion of engineers entering the marketplace is considerably higher than the norm.
The demand for engineering graduates has also pushed salaries upwards. Almost two-thirds of graduates with a primary degree in engineering were earning in excess of £15,000. In all, 16 per cent were earning more than £19,000 and only 0.5 per cent were earning less than £5,000.
Unsurprisingly, the majority of engineers who found work in Ireland - 74 per cent - found their first job in manufacturing and other non-service industries, with 19.4 per cent working in private services and 5.4 per cent in the public service.
At certificate/diploma level the pattern of graduate employment is somewhat different, with more students continuing their studies and fewer entering the marketplace directly. At certificate level, 62 per cent of engineering graduates continued their studies, presumably to diploma level.
A further 34 per cent were working on April 30th last year while 1.6 per cent were seeking employment. At diploma level, 37 per cent of graduates had returned to the classroom. Presumably they were making their way towards a degree. In all, 59 per cent were working while 1.7 were seeking employment.
The very low proportions of certificate and diploma graduates seeking work is an indication of the intrinsic value of these qualifications, which should not just be seen as a route to a degree
Choosing a course in engineering
A vast array of engineering courses awaits the interested student - from polymer to mineral to biomedical to food process, to the more traditional civil, mechanical, electric, and electronic disciplines.
Students who have a general interest in engineering but are unsure which discipline they want to specialise in should look at the commonentry courses. These are offered, at degree level, by TCD, UCD, NUI Galway and DIT. The advantage of a common-entry programme is that it allows you time to sample the various disciplines before you make up your mind.
In TCD the first two years are common, and students are accommodated in their choice of specialism, rather than having to compete for places in third year. TCD offers five specialisms under its common-entry programme: civil, structural and environmental engineering, mechanical and manufacturing engineering, electronic engineering, computer engineering, electronic/computer (joint) engineering.
Both NUI Galway and UCD operate quota systems so students have to compete for places after a common first year. UCD offers specialisms in agricultural and food, chemical, civil, electrical, electronic and mechanical engineering. Cut-off points dropped from 430 to 375 last year - but you should remember that UCD has a requirement for higher-level B3 in the Leaving Certificate.
It is also worth noting that chemical engineering is only on offer in UCD and Cork IT, which has a direct-entry programme. There is usually competition for places in second-year engineering in UCD.
The specialisms on offer in NUI Galway in second year are civil, electronic, industrial engineering and information systems, mechanical, electronic and computer engineering, biomedical engineering and environmental engineering. DIT's commonentry engineering course (FT125) branches into mechanical, manufacturing, building services and structural engineering while its electrical/ electronic engineering course (FT221) has four second-year specialism - electrical power systems, control systems, communications systems and computer engineering.
You will need a minimum of a higher-level C3 in Leaving Cert maths to enter any engineering degree programme directly. Some colleges have even higher requirements. You should check the master chart published in the College Choice supplement on January 11th or the individual college prospectuses.
Direct-entry engineering courses
EACH year, the range of direct-entry courses expands so students can opt for environmental engineering, transport engineering, marine engineering, polymer engineering, mineral engineering . . .
If you opt for a direct-entry programme you are locking yourself into a particular specialism. If that's the course you want, great, but if it doesn't turn out as you expected you may have to reapply through the CAO next year for a different option. So, it's very important that you read the college prospectus carefully, talk to your guidance counsellor, and if possible, find a student already on the course or a graduate and ask them what it's all about. Open days provide a great opportunity for you to visit the college and view their facilities.
The following gives a flavour of a few of these direct-entry programmes on offer around the State:
Manufacturing engineering with management science at TCD
This new four-year full-time course combines engineering and business. It is not listed in the CAO handbook but the 20 first-year places are on offer through the CAO. You should use course code TR038. Course co-ordinator Dr Kevin O'Kelly: "We're developing this course in recognition of the fact that almost all engineers end up in manufacturing. They then progress to project management and middle management and many have no option but to go back to college to study for an MBA. This is expensive and can be awkward when it comes to timing.
"We will provide engineers with the management skills that they need to operate in a business environment." The course will comprise about 80 per cent mechanical and manufacturing engineering and 20 per cent management science. Management science subjects will include marketing, finance, quality systems, information systems and human resource management.
TCD does not have a formal requirement for its engineering students to complete an industrial placement. However, many students find work between third and fourth year and it is expected that students will continue in this vein.
Admission requirements are the same as the TCD's common-entry engineering degree with a requirement for a higher-level C3 in Leaving Cert maths.
BEng/MEng in electronic systems at DCU
DCU offers an innovative five-year course which qualifies students for both a bachelor's and a master's of engineering. Introduced in 1996, it is offered jointly by the schools of engineering, applied languages and business.
It combines engineering, business and language for the first four years with students doing four times more engineering than business or language. There is an industrial placement in France in third year. Successful students are awarded a BEng at the end of fourth year.
Fifth year is spent in France, with students following the engineering programme of a Grand Ecole. There are only 10 first-year places with final cut-off points of 420 last year.
Engineering at NUI Maynooth
NUI Maynooth has established a new engineering faculty and is offering three degree programmes - electronics, communications and computer engineering. Even though these are offered under three separate course codes, the first two years are common and students will have a chance to reconsider their initial choice.
Electronic engineering at Cork IT
CIT offers electronic engineering as an ab-initio degree and as a certificate, with an add-on diploma and degree available.
The entry requirements for the ab-initio degree include a higher-level C3 in Leaving Cert maths while the maths requirement for the certificate is a D3 at ordinary level. The cut-off points for the degree were 380 while the certificate registered 205.
Students who do sufficiently well in the certificate can proceed to a one-year add-on diploma, and diploma graduates with a distinction or merit grade 1 may apply for places on the third year of the degree. This means, if you started from a certificate, it will take five years to acquire a degree.
On the plus side, you maintain your free fees entitlement for the five years and you have the option of leaving with a certificate or diploma, working for a few years, and then returning to college.
TCD open evening for parents
TCD is holding an open evening for parents tomorrow at 7.30 p.m. Admission is by ticket only. Parents can obtain tickets by calling (01) 608 1133 or (01) 608 2003. Tickets can be held at the door for people who phone in advance.
The session should prove very useful to parents as it will take the form of an open question and answer forum. Academic staff from each faculty and the college admissions officer will be present to answer your queries.
Helpline
Students, parents and teachers with queries about colleges, courses and application procedures are invited to call the College Choice helpline between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. today. Tel: (01) 679 1915/6791919