Rugby International O'Kelly signs up to Volunteers Day for Engineers Week 2010
Release date: Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Irish and Leinster rugby player Malcolm O’Kelly today announced his involvement in ‘Volunteers Day’ during the upcoming Engineers Week 2010. On this day, Thursday 11th February 2010, volunteer engineers are going to go into schools around the country to enthuse students about maths. O'Kelly, who was educated at Templeogue College, holds an Engineering degree and a Masters degree in Mathematics from Trinity College Dublin.
On ‘Volunteers Day’ during Engineers Week 2010 Malcolm O’Kelly will give a maths tutorial to the students at his old school at Templeogue College. Speaking at the announcement today, Malcolm O’Kelly welcomed the initiative and called on engineers and businesses to support the day. “I strongly welcome the efforts of Engineers Ireland to promote everyday understanding of maths in schools through Volunteer Day and Engineers Week more broadly. Having studied engineering and maths I understand the doors that these subjects can open for people. I pursued a career in rugby but I’ve kept close links with the engineering sector and I am currently taking a project management course. I believe my future will be in engineering and I’d encourage all students to consider engineering as a real career choice.”
Engineers Week is a campaign held annually to promote engineering as a career and the importance of the industry to Ireland. Volunteer Day on Thursday, Feb 11, is our first national volunteer day and will be a key day in Engineers Week 2010, which runs from Feb 8-13. On that day, it is planned that volunteer engineers, with the co-operation of local schools, will enter classes across the country and spend a few hours working with pre-junior certificate students to improve their knowledge and appreciation of maths through puzzles and work sheets.
John Power said: “Engineers Week is a critical campaign in the engineering calendar and this year’s ‘Volunteers Day’ is the main highlight of the week. Engineers Ireland believes there is a direct link between the decreasing numbers studying maths and the shortage of engineers entering Irish industry. Leaving Certificate results showed that just 16% of students took honours maths which is down on the 2008 figures. We need our students to become more comfortable with maths as it is a fundamental building block towards a career in engineering. ”
For further information on how you can get involved in Volunteers Day during Engineers Week log onto www.engineersweek.ie or contact us on 01 665 1340. Engineers Week 2010 will run from Feb 8th -13th.
On ‘Volunteers Day’ during Engineers Week 2010 Malcolm O’Kelly will give a maths tutorial to the students at his old school at Templeogue College. Speaking at the announcement today, Malcolm O’Kelly welcomed the initiative and called on engineers and businesses to support the day. “I strongly welcome the efforts of Engineers Ireland to promote everyday understanding of maths in schools through Volunteer Day and Engineers Week more broadly. Having studied engineering and maths I understand the doors that these subjects can open for people. I pursued a career in rugby but I’ve kept close links with the engineering sector and I am currently taking a project management course. I believe my future will be in engineering and I’d encourage all students to consider engineering as a real career choice.”
Engineers Week is a campaign held annually to promote engineering as a career and the importance of the industry to Ireland. Volunteer Day on Thursday, Feb 11, is our first national volunteer day and will be a key day in Engineers Week 2010, which runs from Feb 8-13. On that day, it is planned that volunteer engineers, with the co-operation of local schools, will enter classes across the country and spend a few hours working with pre-junior certificate students to improve their knowledge and appreciation of maths through puzzles and work sheets.
John Power said: “Engineers Week is a critical campaign in the engineering calendar and this year’s ‘Volunteers Day’ is the main highlight of the week. Engineers Ireland believes there is a direct link between the decreasing numbers studying maths and the shortage of engineers entering Irish industry. Leaving Certificate results showed that just 16% of students took honours maths which is down on the 2008 figures. We need our students to become more comfortable with maths as it is a fundamental building block towards a career in engineering. ”
For further information on how you can get involved in Volunteers Day during Engineers Week log onto www.engineersweek.ie or contact us on 01 665 1340. Engineers Week 2010 will run from Feb 8th -13th.