An Engineer Like Me

An Engineer Like Me is a campaign that champions diverse engineering role models whose innovation and creativity have had a meaningful impact on society. By sharing their stories, Engineers Ireland aims to inspire the next generation of engineers, many of whom are motivated by early experiences like science fairs, and role models like family members, teachers, or public figures. Through print and digital resources, interviews, videos, podcasts, and live events, An Engineer Like Me aims to spark curiosity and ignite a lifelong passion for engineering.

As part of this campaign, STEPS will launch a new initiative for engineering organisations during the 2025-2026 academic year called STEPS An Engineer Like Me Impact Day. It will include volunteering resources, training, and bespoke supports from the STEPS team to bring hands-on engineering learning experience to children from underrepresented backgrounds across Ireland. STEPS will partner with organisations and their engineers to facilitate this initiative.

A call to the curious

The campaign has launched with An Engineer Like Me, a full-colour national magazine designed to attract young people into engineering by highlighting engineering role models, showcasing diverse career paths, and illustrating the different routes into the profession.  

The magazine aims to raise awareness of engineering as a career option among the target audience of parents and students by providing advice and guidance on engineering roles and educational routes available. 

An Engineer Like Me was distributed with the Irish Independent print and digital edition. Download the digital version of the magazine below.


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Early intervention

The From Awareness to Action: STEPS at 25 advocating for engineering outreach paper examines the pivotal role of early engineering and STEM education and outreach in reversing this trend, presenting a strategic vision to build a strong, diverse, and future-ready engineering workforce. The analysis reveals significant gaps in Ireland’s current STEM education landscape, particularly in how engineering is positioned, taught, and promoted.

The Engineers Ireland STEPS Programme has made substantial strides over the past 25 years engaging over 2 million students, teachers and parents through initiatives such as Engineers Week, Engineering Your Future, and the STEPS Young Engineers Award.


Real-life stories

From Biomedical to Structural engineering, these incredible Irish students and professionals show that engineering is a gateway to some of the most exciting and diverse careers in the world. 

Brian-McManus

Brian McManus, Biomedical and Aeronautical Engineer

“The little dopamine rush of solving a small problem, that’s what gets most of us into engineering.” Brian McManus is the creator and producer of the Real Engineering YouTube channel with nearly five million subscribers. 

Niamh-Shaw

Niamh Shaw, Biosystems Engineer

“I believed my ability in maths wasn’t good enough to be an engineer.” Engineering has taken Niamh Shaw on a variety of career paths, from science communicator to Arctic explorer.

Watch more real-life stories

Watch Biomedical students' engineering story

Rachel O'Dell, Muirne McCarthy, Mary Carey and Ella Murphy, University of Limerick, Year 5 students

Watch Harrison's engineering story

Harrison Jones, Civil Engineer working for Crown

Watch Anna's engineering story

Anna Juda, Structural Engineer at Mott MacDonald.

Watch the O’Connor brothers' engineering story

Anthony, Alan and David O’Connor - brothers and engineers who are all MTU Cork students or graduates