IT Carlow opened its new €5.5million aerospace centre last week as part of its push to become one of Ireland’s leading aerospace education facilities. Based at the institute’s school of engineering, the centre is the result of a multimillion euro investment by IT Carlow and is now the only third-level facility of its kind in the country. The centre provides students with a simulated live aircraft maintenance environment in which to acquire the most up-to-date industry skills. It also comprises an avionics workshop and a fleet of aircraft inside its own hangar, reflecting IT Carlow’s niche offering in aviation related programmes. IT Carlow offers degree courses in aero engineering and pilot studies and its Bachelor of Engineering in aircraft Systems is the only course of its kind in the country. According to IT Carlow, graduates are enjoying careers with organisations such as the European Space Agency, Aer Lingus, British Airways, the UK’s Ministry of Defence and DLR (German Space Agency). 90% of graduates are employed within the sector or go on to further study. Dr Donnacha Lowney, head of the department of aerospace, mechanical and electrical engineering at IT Carlow, described aviation as one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the world. “The Centre for Aerospace Engineering was developed to ensure that our graduates are desirable to the leading airlines and specialist aircraft maintenance employers, both in Ireland and internationally. “Alongside traditional studies in aerodynamics, aircraft design, mathematics, physics and technical communications, our students work on real aircraft inside the hangar. They’re even building their own Vans RV12 aircraft from scratch, which we hope will be airborne next year,” he said. The aerospace centre follows on from the opening last year of the self-funded €7.4 million dedicated research building, The Dargan Centre. The centre houses up to 150 research students working on bioenvironmental technologies, product design and innovation, computer gaming and health sciences, including the CMH (Centre for Men’s Health) - the only dedicated research centre for men’s health in the country.