EirGrid Connects Classroom to Industry With University Student Visit

Students involved in Trinity College Dublin’s Engineering Society were welcomed by staff at EirGrid, the operator and developer of Ireland’s electricity grid, as part of STEPS Engineers Week recently.

STEPS Engineers Week, managed by Engineers Ireland, aims to promote engineering education, celebrate innovation, and encourage the future engineering workforce.

During the visit, students were given an in-depth look at EirGrid’s work and operations with presentations delivered by the Head of Interconnection, John Ging, as well as colleagues across system operations, offshore wind and future networks, who shared their expertise on the technical and operational aspects of Ireland’s energy system and how it is evolving to support a sustainable, low carbon future.

“It’s great to see the interest and curiosity of students when they come into the office. It’s essential that engineering students coming from universities understand the opportunities available in the energy sector, as their skills will be so valuable in the future,” said Ging.

“As EirGrid work towards facilitating that eighty per cent of the electricity on our grid comes from renewable sources, we hope these engagements help inspire the engineers of tomorrow, who will make this happen. We look forward to welcoming more third-level students to the office and our converter stations throughout the year in similar visits.”

The visit also highlighted the importance of making technical information available to students, particularly those who will soon be stepping into roles where they will shape the future of energy and the environment.

Garbhan Healy, Chairperson of TCD Engineering Society said, “We had a fantastic day as a society, the enthusiastic and professional way EirGrid staff treated us with was genuinely inspiring and is a testament to the “can do” attitude of the organisation. I hope this visit can be the start of something in generating more interest and enthusiasm amongst students on work in the energy sector generally, and in renewable energy and EirGrid in particular.”

The visit comes just a week before the final of EirGrid’s second annual CleanerGrid Competition, where third-level students from across the country will compete for the chance to win a top prize of €12,000 (€6,000 for the winning student team and €6,000 for the student’s third-level institute).

For this year’s theme asks students to “Present your vision of what the growing energy sector will need to look like in 2050 to have sustainably achieved net-zero emissions”.

Finalists will present their innovations to industry experts including members of the EirGrid senior management team on Tuesday 25th March 2025.