The Institute of Technology, Sligo Mechatronics team have received the first prize in their section at the National Skills Finals. Team members Robert Carroll and Thomas Burke are now hot favourites to be chosen to represent Ireland at this year’s World Skills Finals in Canada. The success of the team reflects the quality of Mechatronics training at IT Sligo, which is the fastest growing engineering discipline at the Institute.
L-R: Dr. John Hession , Institute of Technology, Sligo, team coach and subject expert, Thomas Burke, team member, Prof. Terri Scott, President , Institute of Technology, Sligo and Robert Carroll, team member, at the National Skills finals in Mechatronics held at Cork Institute of Technology where the Institute of Technology, Sligo was awarded first place in Mechatronics.
Both winning team members are currently undertaking research towards Masters degrees in Bioengineering, which they plan to complete in 2010. Thomas Burke, native of Claremorris and a past pupil of St. Colmans College, already holds a BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from IT Sligo. Robert Carroll from Kilalla and a past pupil of St. Patrick’s, Lacken Cross, graduated from IT Sligo in 2008 with a BEng (Hons) in Mechatronics. Mechatronics at IT Sligo has gone through phenomenal growth in the past five years and, in addition to the full-time programme, is delivered by on-line distance learning to over one hundred and fifty people in the workforce in all parts of Ireland. These people are employed in industry right across Ireland, in sectors such as Medical Devices, Pharmaceutical, Electronics and Food Processing.
Head of Mechatronics at IT Sligo Frank Carter comments ‘As the basis for Industrial Automation, Mechatronics is one of the main drivers of competitiveness in manufacturing industry. It is vitally important to the whole manufacturing and processing sectors, including microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and food processing. Graduates of Mechatronics at IT Sligo are using their skills to contribute to the on-going process improvement efforts that keep these industries at the forefront of competitiveness and productivity in Ireland. IT Sligo is the leading third-level institution in the provision of qualifications by on-line distance learning, making a very significant contribution to the National Skills Strategy.
The team was coached at the competition by subject expert and lecturer, Dr. John Hession. Senior technician Ray Tobin and the Mechatronics staff provided invaluable support in the weeks leading up to the final.
For further information please contact
Mr. Frank Carter
Head of Department of Mechanical & Electronic Engineering
School of Engineering
Phone: 071 9155225
Email: carter.frank@nullitsligo.ie