Workplacement

In the third year of the programme, the second half of the spring semester is spent in industry. In addition to seeing how to put theory into practice, a major focus is to learn how business works. This experience counts towards your degree credits as an assessed work placement module and counts for 15 credits. Most students continue to work in their placement from June to September, and many base their final year project on a problem of interest to their host company. This is of great benefit to the student in that the real work environment can be experienced, and also acts as a useful process for the companies, who make good use of the students, and use the process for potential recruitment of graduates. (and no you don't get to do the photocopying or make the coffee!!)

Final Year Research Projects

Most final year reasearch projects are industry based, either they have been developed during the work experience, or the student has been linked to an industry partner based on their area of interest. 

Guest Lecturers

Guest lectures on specialist topics are delivered by invited industrialists, recent topics have included;-

• Implementation of ISO50001 (GSK)
• Passive Buildings (Wain Morehead and Associates)
• Offshore Wind Farms
• Design Thinking (GSK)
• Patents and IP Protection (CIT Commercialisation Specialist)
• Sustainability in Industry (BGN)

Industry Visits

Plant and site visits are arranged whenever possible and conditions allow.
Recent visits have included the following

• Inniscarra Hydroelectric Power Station (ESB Networks)
• Boggeragh Wind Farm (ESB Networks)
• Cloughjordan EcoVillage and DH Network
• Boston Scientific, Cork
• Nimbus NSBET Test Bed and Research Centre.

 Staff and Postgraduates 

Most of our staff have industrial experience and maintain close links. 

Some of our postgraduate research projects are industry based and the research work is undertaken in the company, on a topic relevant to the business.