In June, Engineers Ireland’s educational outreach programme, STEPS, launched Nature Engineers, a sustainability workshop for primary schools delivered by engineers.
Nature Engineers is an interactive, engineering experience designed for primary schools and supported by industry partners. The initiative has already seen successful pilot workshops hosted at Swords Educate Together and Virgin Mary Girls’ National School, Ballymun.
Children from Swords Educate Together take part in the Nature Engineers sustainability workshop
Aimed at 5th and 6th class students, the initiative introduces children to sustainability concepts, such as rainwater garden design, through hands‑on workshops. Delivered by local volunteer engineers, Nature Engineers highlights the vital role engineering plays in addressing environmental issues. During the workshop, engineers discuss Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and students take part in two practical activities:
- Mapping their local area to identify how rainfall affects their community and where flooding risks may occur;
- Designing and testing Lego structures and modifying them with SuDS features to explore how engineered solutions can mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall.
Each student receives a certificate to mark their participation.
Volunteer engineers Camila, Daniel and Marianne from Mitie
The Nature Engineers pilot in Swords Educate Together was delivered by volunteer engineers Camila, Daniel and Marianne from Mitie who shared insights into their careers and answered questions from enthusiastic students.
“A key highlight for the Mitie Ireland team was the opportunity to engage directly with students. Their positivity, enthusiasm and warm welcome made the experience genuinely rewarding, reflecting the strong connections we are building and our commitment to inspiring the next generation of engineering talent.” Camila Carnevale, ESG & Sustainability Partner, Mitie
Volunteers Cathy, Janet, Kieran and Rachel from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII)
The Nature Engineers pilot in Virgin Mary Girls National School, Ballymun was delivered by volunteers Cathy, Janet, Kieran and Rachel from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) who shared stories from their careers and engaged students in discussion.
“We had a fantastic time meeting the girls, helping them with their projects and hearing their ideas and presentations. How talented the class were, blew us all away.” Janet Lynch Sustainability Co-Ordinator, Capital Projects, Light Rail, Transport Infrastructure Ireland
Schools and industry supporters interested in participating can contact the STEPS team at steps@engineersireland.ie.