A glimpse of the future for Údarás na Gaeltachta ‘An Chruinne’ STEM participants!
As a fitting finale to this year’s Údarás na Gaeltachta ‘An Chruinne’ STEM programme, Cambus Medical in An Spidéal hosted a ‘school to work day’ for the students of Scoil Náisiúnta Mhic Dara, An Cheathrú Rua in association with Údarás na Gaeltachta and Junior Achievement Ireland.
"The youth of today are our future entrepreneurs and scientists and they will create and develop the Gaeltacht of the future.”
Údarás na Gaeltachta Chief Executive, Mícheál Ó hÉanaigh
The students were given a tour of the high tech Cambus Medical facility in An Spidéal, a company who for the past 12 years have extensive experience in providing Hypotubes and Micro-component solutions to the medical device industry from their Connemara base.
At a time when these students are about to embark on their second level education it was an interesting and motivational opportunity for them to see first-hand the various roles and career options that are and will be available in the Gaeltacht through science and engineering. Barry Comerford, CEO and Co-founder of Cambus Medical encouraged the students to enthusiastically examine and question everything they see, as they go through their lives, “persistence and determination will get you through any problem you encounter”, said Comerford.
Cambus Medical was a very appropriate location also as for the past 9 years Cambus Medical employees have worked with students in Galway schools and helped them to gain science, enterprise and employability skills, by bringing innovative and interactive learning opportunities into local schools through various Údarás na Gaeltachta and Junior Achievement Ireland Programmes.
The visit proved a fitting culmination to the Údarás na Gaeltachta ‘An Chruinne’ STEM programme, which was run in partnership with Junior Achievement Ireland and has now reached over 400 primary school students in Gaeltacht areas around the country.
The An Chruinne programme introduces science through practical and engaging classroom-based lessons through the Irish language and is designed to encourage 6th class Gaeltacht primary school students to continue with science as they transition to second level. Volunteers from organisations around the country were recruited, trained and supported to facilitate the in-classroom programme fostering students’ interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). ‘An Chruinne’ comprises of five modules spanning the fundamentals of science while highlighting it’s value to young people in their everyday lives.
Údarás na Gaeltachta Chief Executive, Mícheál Ó hÉanaigh in announcing the continuation of the programme for the 2018/2019 academic year said: “It is important for Údarás na Gaeltachta and its client companies to encourage the Gaeltacht’s younger generation to move towards innovation and spark an interest in these sectors through their native language. We are grateful to Cambus Medical, its joint venture partner Freudenberg Medical and other client companies who have given freely of their time to inspire the next generation towards innovation and science and to highlight the excellent opportunities that are available in Gaeltacht areas. The youth of today are our future entrepreneurs and scientists and they will create and develop the Gaeltacht of the future.”