Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED

Successfully transitioning from university to a professional engineering career is a critical moment for any graduate, and the application process requires strategic preparation beyond just academic competence.Many students struggle to understand what employers truly seek in a new engineer and how to showcase their potential effectively.This episode unlocks the secrets to a standout graduate application, sharing direct insights on core soft skills like communication and teamwork, the role of mentorship, and the career growth trajectory within leading firms.Learn about the value of different-sized companies, from large-scale multi-office execution to a hands-on, personal approach, and the importance of professional development and diversity initiatives. Host Dusty Rhodes is joined by two exceptional industry leaders: Michelle O'Hagan, Group Graduate Recruitment Manager at PM Group, and Bill Bates, Director at DBFL.THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTWhy graduate programs are essentialBig vs small company advantagesSoft skills employers demand nowSuccessful career progression examplesHow to make your application stand outGUEST DETAILSMichelle O’Hagan is the Group Graduate Recruitment Manager at PM Group, a leading global project management and engineering company known for delivering complex capital projects worldwide. She manages the full graduate recruitment lifecycle across PM Group’s international offices, ensuring the company attracts top emerging talent. Michelle's extensive experience, including prior roles at Deloitte UK and Citi Bank, makes her an expert in understanding what drives success in early engineering careers.Bill Bates is a Director at DBFL Consulting Engineers, one of Ireland's leading civil, structural, and transportation consultancies. Bill is responsible for overseeing the Civil Engineering team and has extensive experience in the design and delivery of major infrastructure and development projects across the country. As a Director, Bill is deeply involved in DBFL's Graduate Development Programme and the career progression of their staff, making him a key resource for understanding the pathways to Chartered Engineer status and professional success within the Irish engineering sector.Connect with AMPLIFIEDWebsite: engineersireland.ieSearch podcast player: "AMPLIFIED" or "Engineers Ireland"Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and wherever you get podcastsMORE INFORMATIONLooking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/   Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.QUOTESConfidence, talking about themselves, talking about their other aspects, their engineering career is only at the start, so they have very little to talk about in that. But I want to know what they've done to date. Tell me about themselves. - Bill BatesThe actual programme itself is a two year programme, but it runs in parallel with your job. So you're permanent from day one, you don't have to re-interview for a role on completion of the programme, which a lot of graduate programmes in our industry does. - Michelle O'Hagan Be confident in your own ability, but be able to show humility and be able to listen to all others perspectives. - Bill BatesCommunication going into project management, being a strong and effective communicator is essential. Being clear, concise and well structured  - Ena O'DriscollKEYWORDS#EngineeringGraduates #GraduateProgramme #CareerDevelopment #SoftSkills #StandoutCV

Leaving Certificate students have an exciting opportunity to explore the diverse realities of an engineering career and discover practical strategies for success as they fill out their upcoming CAO forms.Ena O'Driscoll, Mechanical Engineering student at MTU Cork and Student Ambassador at PM Group, alongside Sean Ryan, Automation Engineering student at SETU and Student Engineer at Jabil, share their university experiences with host Dusty Rhodes. Early STEM encouragement, fostered through school programs and family ties, significantly influences career choices. The discussion highlights the importance of paid internships for developing real-world problem-solving skills and building an invaluable CV. Finally, it offers practical advice for creating standout applications by emphasizing leadership roles, volunteering, and project work, while also stressing the need to balance academic demands with societal involvement through networking and mentorship via groups like the Engineers Ireland Young Engineers Society. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTEngineering career choice STEM encouragementPaid internships practical experience benefitsCV building leadership & volunteering standoutTime management balancing studies & activitiesCAO strategy Level 7 & Level 8 optionsGUEST DETAILSEna O'Driscoll is a Mechanical Engineering Student at Munster Technological University (MTU) Cork. Ena is an excellent example of maximising university studies by actively engaging with industry. She gained valuable professional experience through an internship and placement with PM Group, a leading international project delivery firm. Following her successful placement, Ena has continued her association with the company and the wider engineering community by serving as a Student Ambassador at PM Group, demonstrating a strong commitment to promoting engineering and bridging the gap between academia and professional life.Sean Ryan is an Automation Engineering Student at South East Technological University (SETU) Waterford. Sean is currently applying his technical expertise as a Student Engineer at Jabil, a global manufacturing services company. He possesses a strong academic background complemented by valuable practical experience, including previous work as a controls engineer at Integer. Sean is highly engaged within his university community, having served as a peer-to-peer mentor and senior mentor to support first-year engineering students. Sean is also Chairperson of the Young engineer society south east. Hailing from a farming background, Sean brings a unique perspective to problem-solving and engineering challenges. Outside of his studies and work, Sean is an active rugby player for both his college team and a local club.  Connect with AMPLIFIEDWebsite: engineersireland.ieSearch podcast player: "AMPLIFIED" or "Engineers Ireland"Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and wherever you get podcastsMORE INFORMATIONLooking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/   Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.QUOTESMy secondary school was actually really good in terms of promoting STEM. Every couple of weeks we'd have different people come in and talk about different areas - Ena O'DriscollI'm on currently working as a controls and automation engineer student for Jabil healthcare, which is ideal because it's only two minutes walk from my college and I'm able to go in there part time and the hours are flexible which is amazing  - Sean RyanWe were given real work to work on from day one.  It started with helping other engineers, carried out a study. We were able to find that quadrant that was the problem and implement that change.- Sean RyanI've always enjoyed Maths, Physics, anything problem solving wise. I've always wanted to be an engineer since probably around 14. I interviewed one of my dad's best friends who's a civil engineer. I got into the mechanical side because of my godfather.  - Ena O'DriscollKEYWORDSEngineering studies, STEM promotion, student engineers, automation engineering, mechanical engineering, industry experience, internships

Managing billion-euro construction projects across multiple continents requires more than technical expertise—it demands strategic planning that can unite diverse teams around complex, evolving designs. From Formula One theme parks in Dubai's desert heat to Sweden's groundbreaking European Spallation Source research facility, construction planning specialist Enda Grimes has spent two decades mastering the art of breaking massive projects into manageable pieces. Now leading his own consultancy Strata, he reveals how digital rehearsals, AI-powered data analytics, and one often-overlooked foundational skill are transforming how Europe's largest construction projects come to lifeTHINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTHow breaking mega construction projects into smaller, team-owned pieces enables successful delivery.Why engineering principles provide the strongest foundation for strategic time planning.How using digital rehearsals BIM models can safely plan logistics before physical execution on siteHow AI and data management are transforming construction planningWhy communication skills and practical site experience matter for career advancement The value of international experience and cultural adaptability in engineering career progressionGUEST DETAILSEnda Grimes is Director and Owner of Strata, a construction planning consultancy he founded in 2016 that manages projects valued up to €2 billion. His career spans some of Europe's most complex construction projects, including serving as Head Planner for Skanska on the European Spallation Source (ESS) in Sweden—the world's largest research facility of its kind—where he developed contract programs for this state-of-the-art super-microscope facility. Previously, Enda spent over five years as Planning and Bid Manager with John Paul Construction/Absal Paul in Dublin, leading strategic technical submissions and commercial strategies. His international experience includes planning the $600M Formula One Theme Park in Dubai and the €145M Criminal Courts Complex PPP in Dublin with PJ Hegarty & Sons. Enda specializes in translating complex construction requirements into executable plans using cutting-edge planning, modeling, and visualization technology.Connect with Enda:PUBLIC CONTACT DETAILSWebsite:  https://stratadigital.io/Social Media:https://www.linkedin.com/in/enda-grimes-86539a25/?originalSubdomain=ieMORE INFORMATIONLooking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/   Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.QUOTESEngineering is a really good base for time planning, and if you can understand the technical challenges and relate that to time, you know, you get a lot of respect. - Enda GrimesIt's made up of multiple project teams. If you're able to isolate each component piece to the individual project teams and let them deal with them on a project by project basis, it's a lot easier. – Enda GrimesWhat is a digital rehearsal? It's about building something digitally and rehearsing it and then putting it in practice in real life... the whole purpose is to plan out those works in a safe manner, to make sure that it works.  - Enda GrimesI learned that sometimes to be Irish is a good thing in international projects because we're good at talking. We're probably have a good way about us with people, and you're able to bring different cultures together. - Enda GrimesI think practical experience is really important actually. There is a shortcoming in our education process at the moment. It's too theoretical, and that connection to industry is lost. - Enda GrimesKEYWORDS#Engineering principles #strategicplanning #constructionprojects #FormulaOnethemepark #Europeanspallationsource #projectexecution #timemanagement #digital tools #BIM #digitalrehearsal #communicationskills #career progression #internationalexperience #practicalexperience #leadership 

Two recent engineering graduates, Jennifer Smith (Manufacturing Operations Engineer) and Denis Hardi (Graduate Commissioning Engineer), share essential advice for students considering engineering. They emphasise that internships are vital for discovering career preferences across diverse fields like pharma and civil engineering, making the flexibility of the degree its greatest asset. Their key message is that curiosity and resilience matter more than loving mathematics, as engineering fundamentally relies on problem-solving. They also stress that networking through groups like the Young Engineers Society provides crucial leadership opportunities and connections.The graduates provided practical insights on career growth, highlighting rotational programmes as the best way to gain broad experience (quality, global roles) and understand facility operations. They advised students on navigating early career decisions and underlined the necessity of establishing work-life balance by setting boundaries. Overall, the discussion offers an encouraging view of the modern engineering profession, stressing that the career path is highly adaptable to individual interests and goals.THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTInternships shape careers through pharmaceutical supply, precision engineering, civil engineering, material science hands-on experience discovering preferences.Engineering degree flexibility enables pharmaceutical, automotive, medical device aerospace careers with curious minds shaping any industry choice. Networking through Engineers Ireland Young Engineers Society provides leadership opportunities professional connections across counties and internationally. STEM subjects are important but curiosity and resilience matter more than loving mathematics with problem-solving training and multiple solution approaches.Graduate rotational programmes offer quality global roles and multiple facilities whilst a work-life balance requires setting boundaries with compensation.GUEST DETAILSJennifer Smith (AbbVie): Manufacturing Operations Engineer and University of Galway graduate with a distinguished academic record. Her career shows the flexibility of an engineering degree, covering pharmaceutical manufacturing, materials, and civil engineering.Denis Hardi (H&MV): Graduate Commissioning Engineer and TUS graduate, who has held significant leadership roles including Founder of the South East Young Engineers Society and Senior Vice President of Internal Relations for Young European Engineers. His work includes international commissioning projects in Norway and Finland.CONNECT WITH AMPLIFIED:Website: engineersireland.ieSearch podcast player: AMPLIFIED Engineers IrelandApple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and wherever you get podcasts.MORE INFORMATIONLooking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.QUOTESOpportunities are truly limitless with an engineering degree. If you have a curious mind, you can shape your career to be any sort of industry you want. – Jennifer Smith. I'm actually based in Finland now on site working on a substation project. I was in Norway before this. I never expected to be travelling around the world, it is a rich experience. – Denis Hardi. Internships will really shape the way you take your career. I did internships across pharmaceutical, precision, civil, and material science. Getting internships is a great way to have a better idea of what you want to do once you finish college. – Jennifer Smith. Internships give you rich experience showing what you study might or might not be applicable. I worked on combined heat and power, microchips, photonics research, and technical sales, giving me an idea of how it is to work on site and in the lab. – Denis Hardi.KEYWORDSEngineering degree, career transition, internships, problem-solving, work-life balance, networking,professional growth,

When Rana Plaza collapsed in Bangladesh killing over 1,200 garment workers in April 2013, two Irish engineers found themselves at the centre of literally redefining global worker safety standards. Aidan Madden from Arup and Colm Quinn, now Head of Operations for the International Accord, reveal how they developed "optimal ignorance" methodology assessing 2,500+ factories at unprecedented scale, why poor concrete quality and overdevelopment caused the tragedy, and how training local engineers to think about existing buildings (not blank-sheet designs) represents a universal engineering challenge. From paper-based inspections to iPad workflows managing 140,000 safety findings, discover the technical rigour behind transparent remediation programmes that fundamentally changed how engineers approach ethical practice in global supply chains. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUTHow Rana Plaza's catastrophic collapse in April 2013 killed over 1,200 people from overdevelopment. Why Arup developed "optimal ignorance" methodology focusing exclusively on critical life-safety elements How the International Accord inspected over 2,000 Bangladesh factories identifying 140,000 individual health and safety findings, with 115,000 subsequently corrected Why training local engineers to assess existing buildings represents a universal engineering problem requiring mindset shifts beyond Asia-specific contextsHow digital workflows transformed paper-based inspections into scalable remediation programmes GUEST DETAILSAidan Madden is a Chartered Civil/Structural Engineer with over twenty years' experience at global firm Arup, leading complex, impactful projects worldwide. Following the catastrophic Rana Plaza collapse in 2013, Aidan became a pivotal member of Arup's leadership team developing and implementing structural safety assessment methodology for the original Bangladesh Accord. This monumental effort required creating standardised yet highly rigorous technical frameworks to rapidly assess structural integrity of over 2,500 garment factories—demanding first-principles engineering judgement at unprecedented speed and scale. His work proved instrumental in identifying and remediating high-risk structural, electrical and fire hazards, effectively codifying ethical engineering practice for an entire global industry. For his extraordinary contribution to safety and social responsibility through engineering, Aidan received the prestigious Engineers Ireland International Engineer of the Year Award.Colm Quinn is Head of Operations for the International Accord, a legally binding agreement focused on securing safe and healthy garment and textile industries worldwide. Leading implementation and operational rollout of Accord programmes across multiple countries including Pakistan expansion, Colm manages technical capacity-building initiatives training local engineers—structural, fire and electrical specialists—on rigorous safety standards necessary for factory inspections and remediation. Bringing strong high-level engineering foundations from previous work as Associate at global engineering firm Arup, Colm's career trajectory represents the crucial shift from developing pioneering safety frameworks to successfully scaling and sustaining them across global industries. His operational leadership ensures that technical rigour developed in Bangladesh translates effectively to new markets whilst empowering local engineering teams.Connect with the guests:Aidan Madden LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aidan-madden-91ab3a23Colm Quinn LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colm-g-quinnInternational Accord: internationalaccord.orgArup: arup.comMORE INFORMATIONLooking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/   Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.QUOTESThe fundamental problem was that a building which was designed to be a five story building, and by the time it collapsed in April of 2013 it was a nine storey building. So it had been overdeveloped. They had put on additional floors beyond what it had been designed for. You have a building which is heavier than it's supposed to be, and with concrete which is weaker than it should have been. - Aidan MaddenThere's kind of a bit of an art and a bit of science to this. We need to spend the time that we need to do the assessment, but we have to be able to do it at scale. A colleague of mine had a great phrase which we reused today: optimal ignorance. It's like, what do you really, really need to know to allow you to define the actions, to define the meaningful things that will happen after your visit to make those buildings safer. - Aidan MaddenThe programme is quite unique in that it's dealing with existing buildings. There's no code that I know where existing buildings are front and foremost. This is a problem not just in Asia. Engineers need to be retrained or refocused to deal with existing buildings. It's not a Bangladesh problem. It's not a Pakistan problem, it's an engineering problem - Colm QuinnThe Accord, combined with the RSC in Bangladesh, inspected over 2,000 factories and have identified over 140,000 individual health and safety findings, and of those, over 115,000 have been corrected. - Colm QuinnKEYWORDS#RanaPlaza #workersafety #InternationalAccord #structuralengineering #ethicalengineering