More than 2,000 students from across the midwest landed in Shannon airport for the Explore Engineering Showcase 2025. 

The event, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, brought together students, educators, and engineering industry professionals to celebrate innovation, creativity, and problem-solving in engineering. 

Hub for world-class manufacturing

More than 60 of the region’s leading engineering companies were represented as they showed off their latest technologies and innovations, highlighting the area’s reputation as a hub for world-class manufacturing.

This year’s showcase featured a dynamic blend of interactive exhibits, live demonstrations, and hands-on experiences, allowing attendees to explore everything from robotic automation, electronics, the built environment, welding to artificial intelligence experiments, and environmental technologies. 

Fiona Murphy from Modulacc, a member of the Explore Engineering organising committee and a portable building solutions company in Limerick, said: "We are thrilled to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Explore Engineering Showcase. Over the past decade, this event has grown tremendously, and we are proud to continue inspiring the next generation of engineers.

"Our goal is to provide students with the resources and connections they need to pursue successful careers in engineering. The benefits of the event have been far-reaching; in the past seven years, we’ve seen a 70% increase in engineering graduates from the midwest region’s two main educational institutes."

Mary Considine, CEO, the Shannon Airport Group, said: "This event not only showcases the incredible talent in the midwest but also emphasises the importance of fostering innovation and creativity in engineering. We are committed to supporting initiatives that contribute to the growth and development of our region, and this unique event allows students to directly engage with companies and see first-hand the amazing work they do. 

Intrinsic link between engineering and aviation

"These companies play a crucial role in inspiring the next generation to consider engineering as a career path. Given the intrinsic link between engineering and aviation, this event represents a perfect partnership for us."

Eimear Brophy, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board and Explore Engineering chair, said: “The event emphasises the region's pivotal role in the global engineering landscape and serves as a platform for inspiring the next generation of engineers. With hands-on opportunities to interact with the latest technologies and meet industry leaders, the Explore Engineering Showcase 2025 reinforced the endless possibilities within the engineering sector.” 

"We are trying to demystify the career," said Jean McAdam, marketing director at Analog Devices, "and to show the students and their parents, who are big decision makers in this as well, about how promising a career it is, how active it is in the midwest, what they can study, but also the employment opportunities that are there when they graduate." 

Modulacc managing director Colin McNamara said the reason his company has a presence at the showcase is to engage with future engineers who might end up working in the industry.

"We need people across the engineering spectrum; designers, architects, engineers to manufacturing operators, industrial specialists and construction, so really this is the future talent pool." 

70% increase in number of engineering graduates from UL and TUS

According to figures from the Higher Education Authority, there has been a 70% increase in the number of engineering graduates from the University of Limerick and Technological University of the Shannon in the past seven years.

Organisers believe the Exploring Engineering Showcase has been instrumental in this success.

"We've seen growth in the figures in those taking up engineering," said Brophy. "Tthe figures over the last few years have gone from 1,200 to more than 2000. That is showing us that there is an increase. It's small steps but it's going in the right direction."

Brophy said 16% of jobs in the midwest are in engineering. "It's a real treat for us to be able to show a pipeline of students from the next generation, the careers and pathways that are available to them.

"It is hugely important to have visibility on women in engineering, the apprenticeship route into engineering, the higher education route into engineering and to promote all of those. We think we are making a difference and the research is bearing that out."