In total more than 2,000 female transition year students will get a taste of what it is like to have a career in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) at the two-day I WISH conference in City Hall, Cork. Taking place today (February 11) and tomorrow (February 12), the I WISH event provides introductions to a number of engaging female role models working in a variety of STEM careers with companies such as Dell, Pfizer, TapStack, Technically Write IT, Google and Vodafone. “There are not enough women entering into Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) careers.  I WISH aims to highlight the exciting and rewarding careers in STEM and to increase female entrants to third level courses in STEM by 30% by 2020,” said Gillian Keating, Partner at Ronan Daly Jermyn Solicitors and I WISH co-founder. I WISH is an award-winning partnership initiative between Cork Chamber, it@cork, and Cork City Council, supported by Science Foundation Ireland, Dell, Cork County Council, UCC and CIT. The initiative was founded in 2014 by three Cork business women – Gillian Keating, partner, Ronan Daly Jermyn Solicitors, Caroline O’Driscoll, partner, KPMG and vice chair of it@Cork and Ruth Buckley, head of ICT and business services at Cork City Council. Minister for Agriculture, Food, Marine and Defence Simon Coveney welcomed students to the conference and took the opportunity to officially launch I WISH Imagines, a new series of events and opportunities under the I Wish banner. This first I Wish Imagines event will see a selected number of female students getting the opportunity to participate in a deep sea robot building competition, known as a Mechathon. The Mechathon is being hosted in association with Enterprise Ireland and in partnership with Cork Institute of Technology, IMERC, the Irish Naval Service, the MaREI Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy and Tyndall National Institute. “I WISH Imagines is a fantastic opportunity for students to experience what it is like to work on an exciting and innovative STEM project in world-class facilities,” said Ruth Buckley, head of ICT at Cork City Council and I WISH co-founder. [caption id="attachment_26951" align="alignright" width="300"] Olympian and World Champion Boxer Katie Taylor pictured surrounded by fans at the opening of the I Wish 2016 event promoting STEM choices, chances and changes for girls in City Hall in Cork City. Pic: Diane Cusack[/caption] Irish, European, World and Olympic Boxing Champion, Katie Taylor, was also on hand to meet and talk to students about her experience of being a woman in a male-dominated sport.  She also took to the stage for a frank question and answer session with Barrie O’Connell, president of Cork Chamber and KPMG Partner. “Katie Taylor, as an inspirational Irish woman and Olympic winner, has excelled in a field which was traditionally dominated by men. Students today had the opportunity to hear first-hand from Katie about how she confronted her own personal challenges, including tackling female stereotypes,” said Caroline O’Driscoll, partner KPMG and co-founder of I Wish. The I Wish event will run until Friday, February 12, when the four winners of I WISH Imagines will be announced. For more information, please visit www.iwish.ie