Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED: Recent Episodes
Engineers Journal Ireland
Keep pace with the engineering industry in Ireland and abroad with Engineers Journal, the voice of the engineering community in Ireland and beyond. Each episode brings you thought-provoking one-on-one discussions with industry leaders who share stories on favourite projects and greatest challenges, what the future may hold for the industry and advice on how to progress your career.
Irish engineers are having a fantastic impact in global enterprise but are we nimble and innovative enough to take on the internationals?
Today we find out how engineering is fundamental to the future of enterprise in Ireland and why innovation and sustainability will be vital to our success.
We are delighted to be joined by CEO of Enterprise Ireland, and Fellow of Engineers Ireland, Leo Clancy.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
01:26 Leo’s career from engineering to enterprise
04:17 What does Enterprise Ireland do?
05:25 Engineering is fundamental to enterprise
08:38 How Ireland stands out in a global market
11:47 What we can learn from international companies
14:28 Adopting an innovation mindset
18:09 How Enterprise Ireland can help start ups
22:58 Opportunities for Irish engineering companies
25:29 Sustainability as an opportunity and as a threat
33:41 Future forecasting and Impact 2030 for engineering
GUEST DETAILS
Leo Clancy is the Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Ireland, the State Agency that helps Irish companies to start, scale and grow globally. Leo graduated from Dublin Institute of Technology with a First-Class Honours degree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering and is a Fellow of Engineers Ireland.
Before being appointed as CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Leo was a member of the Executive Committee of IDA Ireland, the State agency for Foreign Direct Investment. There, he led the Technology sector, working extensively at up to C-level with the top global technology and services companies.
Leo spent most of his career in the telecommunications industry, working in senior management, technical and engineering roles. His most recent role was as Service Delivery Director at e|net. Prior to that, he was General Manager, Service Delivery at Ericsson Ireland.
Website: https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/about-us/our-people/executivecommitee/leo-clancy.html
Social Media: www.linkedin.com/in/leoclancy
MORE INFORMATION
Looking 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.
QUOTES
It was that discipline of learning about something and problem solving that I really appreciated about engineering, and I think gives you a great grounding. I've been a manager effectively now for 20 years. You never lose that engineering mindset in terms of how you approach problems, and I think it really stands to people. - Leo CLancy
Irish companies and people have a get it done mentality. We are flexible, we know how to roll with things and problem solving is at the core of how we think about things. Ireland has always had that little bit of a scrappy edge to us, and that shouldn't be confused with low quality because it's not. Irish people are good at analyzing the problem, working out how to change the process in order to get it done, as well as delivering quality. - Leo Clancy
I think we could certainly bring back more of that cultural respect for engineering. We need to value engineering more. - Leo CLancy
There's some brilliant innovation going on in Ireland. And I think it's not beyond the possibility for Irish companies in various domains who are already strong on services and delivering projects to start innovating solutions within their businesses. - Leo Clancy
We're going to see continued and vastly increasing investment in sustainability. That is certainly something that every company should be looking at, as an opportunity, but also as a threat. If companies don't have sustainability plans, and verifiable ones for their businesses, they will be out of business in three to five years. No one will buy from a company that doesn't have a good ESG plan, and that can't verify their own sustainability credentials. - Leo Clancy
It's an absolute testament to Irish business that 2022 was a record year on exports. Irish business performed very well during the pandemic, so I'd be very optimistic about where we're going in the future. I think notwithstanding what might happen in the global markets, I think we're going to continue to see growth in Irish business exports, and growth and jobs. - Leo Clancy
KEYWORDS
ireland #enterpriseireland #engineers #sustainability #business #innovation
As the engineering sector continuously evolves and grows, how can you stay on top and progress in your career?
Today we discover how leading managers achieved their ascent in the industry and what key qualities they look for in their teams. We also hear how employee wellbeing is crucial to operating a safe workplace.
Joining us to tell us more is Director of TII’s Professional Services Division, Helen Hughes and Director of Operations with Jacobs, Jillian Bolton.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
1:21 Finding your chosen discipline
3:31 How engineering has evolved
6:20 5G in cars of the new future
7:57 Work/Life Balance
10:33 How safety to changing on site
13:40 The qualities required to move up the ladder
17:00 The importance of being visible
19:49 Moving into management
24:21 Continuous learning - exhausting or exciting?
GUEST DETAILS
Helen Hughes was appointed Director of TII’s Professional Services Division in 2015 following the establishment of Transport Infrastructure Ireland. Helen has over 30 years of experience in transport planning, project appraisal and project management and has worked in the UK, Ireland and France in the public and private sectors. Helen has been a member of TII’s Executive Team for 7 years, has 18 years’ experience with NRA and 10 years with Consulting Engineers. She has experience in delivery of capital projects, development of strategies, policies, technical reports, road design standards, specifications, and research.
She is a Chartered Engineer and holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree and a Diploma in Project Management. She has been a Council Member of Engineers Ireland and Chairperson of WITS, a voluntary organisation supporting women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
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Jillian Bolton is a Chartered Civil Engineer with 20 years’ experience in the engineering industry, predominantly supporting capital infrastructure clients in the development and construction of national infrastructure. As Regional Lead for Water Ireland & Scotland, Jillian is responsible for the continued development and growth of the region, supporting and developing an extensive team of engineering professionals within the water infrastructure sector delivering on capital investment frameworks and projects for our clients.
MORE INFORMATION
Looking 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.
QUOTES
When you start in engineering, you realize how many different disciplines there are, but they also have many different types of roles within all of those disciplines. - Jillian
The thing that's very rewarding is that you can see very visibly the difference you make. You're delivering infrastructure for the people of Ireland, so I think that's quite gratifying. Jillian mentioned the major inter urban road network that we delivered in the naughties. And that's a huge legacy for generations to come. So the love of engineering is directly related to the impact you're making, for me. - Helen
It's the always-on culture. People are now saying that they're going to leave their mobile phones off for six hours or 12 hours to switch off. We shouldn't be always-on, we never were in the past. - Helen
I would say making sure that you're looking up, and you're looking out. It's saying yes to other things that may not be just purely in the engineering fixed fields that you're in. But it's also looking up from what you're doing at the moment. You've got to be aware of what else is going on within your organization or within your sector and even within the wider infrastructure sector - Jillian
KEYWORDS
engineering #management #safety #wellbeing #worklifebalance
Female engineers represent just 12% of the profession in Ireland. To coincide with International Women In Engineering Day 2023 we ask how we can encourage more young women to join the industry?
What would a workforce with a better gender balance look like? How could the industry benefit from the unique skills and attributes of women that can often be missed in male dominated spaces?
To answer these questions, we’re speaking to two female professionals who excel in the space of safety and sustainability, and are passionate about highlighting the variety and creativity available in an Engineering career. They are chartered civil engineer and artist Regina Clery, and safety specialist and experienced auditor Mary Foley.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
01:53 How to recruit young women into engineering
08:39 Better representation of female engineers
10:45 Safety measures in action
15:17 Why prevention is better than a cure
19:10 Staying on top of changing environments
23:40 Sustainable development goals
26:56 Applying safety to other industries
31:56 Everyone is responsible for safety
GUEST DETAILS
Regina Clery
Having first started out as an Art & Design student, and now an Engineer, Regina Clery is interested in projects that involve a range of technologies, culture & art to deliver STEM data across multi-disciplinary audiences. Regina is a Chartered Engineer CEng MIEI - currently working in Transport (railroad & structures) with previous roles as a Civil Engineer in the Construction Industry, Third Level Education Program Coordinator of Civil Engineering and as a Third Level Lecturer - teaching Mechanical and Civil engineering, Building Construction, Environmental Sustainability and Renewable Energy. Regina is passionate about Environmental Sustainability & Intrinsic Ecosystems, where the built environment meets the natural world. She is a Master of Science in Sustainable Energy and Green Technologies focused on development & optimisation of renewable energy resources, life cycle analysis & efficiency in power generation, mitigation of environmental impacts, plant biotechnology & business innovation.
Mary Foley
MaryFoley is a Safety Professional with exceptional cross-industry experience in Pharma, Biopharma, and general industry manufacturing spanning almost 25 years. She has vast experience in planning and Safety Management and in developing Major Accident Plans for many of the County Councils. She is experienced in working closely with regulatory bodies as well as charities and planning authorities across a number of EMEA territories. Mary is an experienced Auditor with over 10 years of Experience as Lead Auditor. She is the author of National Industry standards and has advised at Government level on developing Safety Management Systems for sections of industry previously unregulated. She has created and contributed to Risk and Risk Management Programs for numerous Irish companies, government departments, multi-nationals and National Governing Bodies. She is an entertaining public speaker and a highly competent expert Witness with experience in both the Circuit and High Court.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/foley-safety-solutions/
MORE INFORMATION
Looking 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.
QUOTES
In general, women have a really, really good follow through. I also know that their attention to detail, in my experience, has been much, much better. And I think in my industry specifically, that's so important. - Mary Foley
I started off in art college and in fashion design, and now I'm an engineer. Nobody could have told me at that stage of my life that I was going to be an engineer, I wouldn't have believed it. The link is how to create and fix problems. You have to get into the schools and get them at an early age to attract women into these industries and show them that they can do this, that women are already doing it. - Regina Clery
Engineers Ireland has been incredible in terms of providing us with continuing professional development, new stuff coming down the track, new information. We absolutely have to stay on top of it all time, because it's ever moving, ever changing and thankfully ever improving. - Mary Foley
Prevention is always better than a cure, but unfortunately, people have this image that safety is expensive. It's not as expensive as a claim, but a claim isn't the be all and end all. It's the personal injury, the pain, the loss, the suffering, the everything else. You should be looking after your people. - Mary Foley
There's a huge drive at the moment, particularly with the sustainable development goals. A lot of companies know they should work towards becoming an SDG champion, which is rare nowadays. Maintaining safety in the workplace, the well being of employees, having wellbeing programs, and even gender equality, all those things make your workplace safer. - Regina Clery
When we're talking about longevity, changes need to be made to acknowledge that the female body needs particular sizing to comfortably wear PPE. There's no such thing really as unisex PPE, especially when it comes to protective equipment. - Regina Clery
KEYWORDS
safety #engineering #women #IWED #InternationalWomenInEngineeringDay #train
Few of us are presented with a problem so big it needs to be dealt with on a national scale.
When Aidan O’Connell discovered pyrite, he tackled it head-on, literally writing the book on how to deal with it. Today, he is an acknowledged expert in the area worldwide.
A hands-on pragmatic civil engineer, Aidan’s colourful career has spanned from his early days in the UK to running a successful small firm in Portlaoise for almost thirty years. In this packed half hour, he pulls no punches on pyrites' early days in Ireland and the processes he helped develop to tackle it. He also shares invaluable information on the challenges of engineering, moving up the ladder and what he sees in the immediate future.
TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE
03:27 The most insightful advice he ever received
06:09 The biggest challenge of his career
07:47 How he set industry protocols and standards
09:07 The problem with Pyrite
15:25 How he started his own firm
20:11 Competing with local councils
26:50 The one thing you must have to move up the ladder
27:50 Process of being named a Fellow of Engineers Ireland
GUEST DETAILS
Aidan is a Chartered Civil Engineer with additional qualifications in Geotechnical Engineering and Project Management. After starting his career in the UK, he returned to Ireland to establish his own firm AOCA in 1996, expanding to Dublin in 2014. Aidan is regularly called on as a civil/structural expert with particular expertise on Pyritic Heave. He also holds the honour of being a Fellow of Engineers Ireland.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/aidan-o-connell-91128b1b/
https://www.aoca.ie
MORE INFORMATION
Looking 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/
QUOTES
You're starting out as a civil or structural engineer but what you will be in ten or twenty years will not be what you started out as. I found that to be absolutely true.
You're not going to move up the ladder unless you go for chartered status. That's an absolute minimum that you need to be able to bring to the table. That gives you the credibility to be able to sign reports and sign documents that you are qualified, that you're recognized, to be able to do that.
I don't know where engineering in Ireland in the ten, five or even two years is going. The reason is that it's moving so fast and it’s direction can be confusing. It's all about speed, speed, speed, speed.
Is mixing the intellectual world of engineering and the physical world of sport, some kind of Venn diagram gone wrong?
Professionals in both need to combine strategy, foresight and expertise with skill and instinct. If you mix all these qualities into one person, do you get a super-human engineer?
Our guests on the show today share how sport and teamwork helped them excel at engineering. They are engineer and former Mayo GAA star Tom Parsons, and athletic legend Jenna Bromell who is currently a Senior Process Engineer with J&J Vision Care.
TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE
02:09 Tom’s & Jenna’s engineering backgrounds
09:09 Tom and GAA at All Ireland level
12:37 Jenna running for Ireland
13:58 How engineering and sport are similar
15:28 How their own engineering careers were helped by sport
20:10 Focus on performance not just for sport
22:45 How to think better at work
24:10 How to kill work stress
27:15 Commonality between sport and work teams
32:16 Where they get time to do so much
34:40 Getting through tough times at work
36:41 The impact of AI and tech on engineering
GUEST DETAILS
Jenna Bromell works as a senior process engineer for Johnson & Johnson Vision. During her time at UL, Jenna was a dual student-athlete, a recipient of a UL BEO sports scholarship and was awarded the UL President’s Special Distinction Award for finishing top in engineering in 2019. She has competed for Ireland at the European Junior championships, World Junior championships, European U23 championships, European Team championships and European senior championships. Jenna is currently a committee member of the Engineers Ireland Thomond Region.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-bromell-819833192/
Tom Parsons was an engineer with Jacobs, a fortune 500 professional and technical solutions company while also playing at All Ireland Level for Mayo GAA. Outside of Croke Park finals, a career highlight for him was being awarded an honorary Fellow with Engineers Ireland in 2021. Today he serves as CEO of Gaelic Players Association.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-parsons-540/
https://www.gaelicplayers.com/about-us/
MORE INFORMATION
Looking 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/
QUOTES
“Don't underestimate the power of 10 minutes. If you want to exercise for 10 minutes, you can get a valuable session in whether it's in front of your television or out in the garden.”
“The great thing about having sports outside of your work life, is that you are not solely defined by one thing. If work is going great, then I'm an engineer. If not, then I’m a runner! You always have something to be positive about.”
“Businesses are learning from high-performance sport and high-performance teams around the world. They're all incorporating those skill sets into the workplace.
On this episode, we hear from an engineer at the top of his game. Ciaran McGovern, gives us an inside look at how Tobin’s long-established civil and structural engineering practice delivers for clients.
You’ll hear about some of the firm’s most cutting-edge projects – including the world’s largest sports air dome – and what’s ahead for the engineering sector in terms of Ireland’s climate action plan. The conversation also touches on the long-term impacts of Covid19 both on workplace culture and regional demands on transportation patterns, the power grid and internet connectivity.
Ciaran also reflects on how Engineers Ireland’s professional development programmes have kept him engaged and why being unafraid to speak up and ask questions is so important to career advancement – and enjoyment!
TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE
- The Sport Ireland Campus in Dublin: A facility whose design and infrastructure supports everything from beginning gymnastics to elite rugby.
- The NUI Galway Connacht GAA Sports Air Dome: The world’s largest such facility, housing a full-size field, track and stands, also convertible within 72 hours to a fully functional conference arena unique on the island of Ireland.
- How aspirational mentors can inspire through their example, guidance and support.
- Why retention of talented staff is paramount and how there is a workplace emphasis on providing opportunities for growth and professional enrichment.
- Tobin’s DECOM (Direction, Competence, Opportunity, Motivation) framework provides a structured approach to securing the right mix of technical and interpersonal/ communications to best serve client needs.
- The ways Covid19 precipitated changes that were long in coming for Ireland’s traditional, centralized hub-and-spoke economy.
- Long-term adoption of remote work, demand for ever-better broadband, commute patterns and infrastructure to support electric cars.
- About Tobin’s direct involvement with Ireland’s Climate Action Plan, substantial improvements to power grid infrastructure and civic engagement.
- Finding ways to keep projects on track, maintain collaboration and provide necessary feedback to people “putting their heads down” remotely.
- Why Ciaran is especially appreciative of how professional development services have invited him to challenge himself to continue growing and acquiring new skills.
GUEST DETAILS
Ciaran has over 25 years of experience in building and civil engineering project delivery within the Irish consultancy sector and was appointed as Managing Director in 2020. He has previously held the position of Operations Director and that of Commercial Director within TOBIN.
Ciaran continues to advise a broad range of Clients on procurement and risk strategies in the management of works contracts for both traditional (employer) and design build (DB) forms. He works closely with internal and Client multidisciplinary teams to deliver projects in the sports capital, transportation, environment, civil engineering, building and infrastructure sectors.
CONTACT DETAILS
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmcgoverntobin/
https://www.tobinconsultingengineers.com/
Irelands Climate Action Plan 2021
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/6223e-climate-action-plan-2021/
Video highlights about the story of Tobin’s NUI Galway Connacht
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDXzIKc0L54
MORE INFORMATION
Looking 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/
Odran shares highlights of his career at the premier family-owned Coffey Group.
He reflects on his trajectory with the firm, favourite projects and most interesting challenges. The episode also looks ahead at the sustainability landscape, including a growing pressure to broaden the options available in terms of construction processes, materials and deployment.
You’ll hear about some fascinating new technologies (like those behind Coffey’s mobile emergency waste treatment plant design) and why it’s so critical that students in Ireland receive plenty of exposure to the many upsides of a career in engineering.
Odran also shares thoughts about the benefits of Continuing Professional Development programmes and the critical role EI plays in upholding a consistent gold standard across the engineering industry.
TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE
- The M7 Motorway Project’s specific challenges and the creative solutions Coffey engineers found to make it all work.
- How Coffey culture emphasizes CPS and why it promotes growth and advancement through ongoing professional training and accreditation.
- Lough Talt Water Treatment Plant
- How and why Coffey engineers designed a mobile emergency water treatment plant housed within a single 40-foot container
- The advantage of plug-and-play installations as a time- and labour-saver and China’s lightning-quick ability to design and build fully equipped hospitals using this modular construction.
- How “pilot” customers are deterred by perceived risk. Can you counter that anxiety with reassuring examples of successful work?
- About Coffey’s most pressing challenges from labour to finite opportunity.
- Odran’s predictions on the civil engineering sector, investment in housing, transport and energy and infrastructure improvements needed to support population growth and social demands.
GUEST DETAILS
Odran Madden is a Chartered Engineer with over 20 years experience in the construction industry and over 15 years’ experience at management level undertaking civil engineering and building construction projects of varying scales, values and complexities.
Odran has gained extensive knowledge and experience in water, wastewater, road, rail, energy and specialist engineering projects. His role is to ensure that all projects are completed safely, to a high standard, to our clients’ satisfaction and that the project teams are provided with the necessary technical support and resources.
Odran holds BEng and LLB degrees, is a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Institute of Engineers of Ireland and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
QUOTES
“I quite enjoy working with water. It's very technically challenging, when you can take wastewater treatment to a safe and clean standard and give that water out to customers to drink, it’s very rewarding.”
“I've certainly come across resistance in Ireland to things like pre-cast concrete over in-situ concrete. Some people do have resistance but it's changing and becoming more and more the norm.”
“We don't really like change … (but) we need to allow the new innovative ways to advance.”
“If you're meeting strangers, they're less likely to accept something that's going to be a little bit different. So you do need to have strong relationships with people. That's why I think having that repeat business is so important to help you get stuff over the line.”
CONTACT DETAILS
https://www.coffeygroup.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/odran-madden-226bb144/
MORE INFORMATION
Looking 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/
With his long and varied history at JB Barry, Liam Prendiville has tremendous perspective to offer.
Liam shares thoughts on some of his most captivating projects – ranging from decade-long roadway efforts to public transit extensions and cutting-edge wastewater treatment facilities. He also looks at the growing demand for environmental sustainability, a trend Liam believes will profoundly impact every sector and offer a wealth of opportunities for engineers to chase creative, innovative solutions!
Looking back on his years with JB Barry elicits understandable pride and Liam is equally excited for the horizon ahead, which includes all manner of civil, environmental, structural and transportation challenges.
We wrap up with a wish list for Dublin infrastructure and a shout-out to Engineers Ireland for sponsoring a paper Liam co-authored about the exciting possibilities open to engineers interested in pursuing the international market, as he did in the 1990s with tremendous results.
TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE
- Experiences navigating projects in Bosnia, Latvia, the Gaza Strip and elsewhere.
- The Ringsend Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade Project.
- How the M8 Cashel to Mitchelstown roadway project offered new ways of managing the project process, engaging in the pre-planning stage with contractors, maximising contract negotiation and optimising communications in a way that has since been replicated.
- Why centralised, Dublin-centric transportation planning has to be expanded to include more byways that support regional travel and economies.
- The current and primary focus of JB Barry's design and project management
- The journey from a senior engineer into the executive ranks
- Opportunities for engineers to provide solutions to a number of large political, economic, environmental and social impacts.
- Why Liam believes Ireland’s fortunes are very bright, with a strong economy at the tip of the spear and exciting new ways of conceiving things like housing.
GUEST DETAILS
Liam is a Chartered Engineer with over 35 years of experience. He specialises in Transportation and Traffic Engineering. For almost two decades, he has been at the helm of JB Barry and Partners, one of Ireland’s leading Consulting Engineers. They offer a wide variety of services in the Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering and Safety & Health sectors and have completed numerous successful projects in each area.
QUOTES
“The construction of motorways is a very small element of the carbon impact. The real impact is on yourself and myself driving around in diesel or petrol cars. You can see that the move towards electric cars has taken hold. It's certainly there.”
“Using the same footprint and the same size of site, we can treat a 60% or 70% greater volume of wastewater. Now that's using innovation to drive great results!”
“The environmental issues and climate action demand is really going to create a very exciting opportunity for engineers. It's all going to have to be engineered!”
CONTACT DETAILS
https://www.jbbarry.ie/wp/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/liam-prendiville-073b3a37/
MORE INFORMATION
Looking 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/
The promise of renewables is exploding globally and engineering entrepreneurs like our guest on this episode of Amplify are right at the heart of the action!
Recently named an EY International Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, Jamie O’Rourke is sharing his perspective as CEO of Mainline Group, the leading utility solutions provider at the centre of the boom in solar, wind and other burgeoning green technologies. He’s touting the benefits of ongoing professional development, networking organizations and global partnerships to innovate and integrate transformational change.
Learn about Mainline’s latest projects in Ireland as well as exciting ventures based in Sweden, the UK and other countries at the forefront of innovation. Jamie also shares thoughts about the role of project management in large, complicated infrastructure schemes (such as the one Mainline has undertaken at Dublin Airport) as well as the hurdles engineering teams inevitably face in the field.
The work can be challenging and the pace of change swift, but Jamie sees renewables as a huge opportunity for engineers to be part of the solution to environmental sustainability. “If we want to go to the extreme,” he says, “engineers will save the world, one wind turbine at a time!”
TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE
- The path less travelled: How Jamie’s early experience working in newly post-apartheid South Africa thrust him into positions of responsibility and a steep learning curve.
- Why Mainline identified renewables early on as a sector that offered tremendous upside growth and a positive way to contribute.
- Colourful challenges faced on a massive drainage project in Cork that involved large-scale upgrades to water and sewer infrastructure and engineering solutions to accommodate multiple site challenges.
- Encounters on projects such as an enormous 73-turbine wind farm – the materials, the logistics, weather impacts, design, technical, installation and other specialized expertise required.
- Growth in solar panels, green hydrogen production and other cutting-edge technologies in Ireland, whose viability and accessibility are growing “by leaps and bounds” here.
- The complex cabling and electrical infrastructure that Mainline has engineered for the North Runway project at Dublin Airport – and other large public efforts.
- Why project management skills, a CDP credential and the constant professional development fostered at Engineers Ireland are critical components of the successful engineer’s tool kit.
- Jamie shares his networking strategy, which starts with looking for ways to bring value to others and a willingness to be vulnerable, reach out and ask for help.
GUEST DETAILS
As Chief Executive Officer, Jamie has overseen the growth of Mainline into a key industry provider in the renewable energy and engineering sectors. Jamie’s focus is on delivering quality projects that matter, via the safest means, in support of Mainline customers across various geographies. He is also responsible for Business Development and delivery of Mainline’s ambitious growth strategy.
Jamie was appointed CEO in 2020, after nine years as Managing Director. Having started with Mainline in 2002 as Commercial Manager, on the Cork Main Drainage Project, Jamie progressed to National Operations Manager. He previously worked with Pearse Construction, and Bord Gáis, as well as spending four years with Insitu-Pipelines in South Africa as Operations Manager. Jamie holds Bachelor's Degrees in Mathematics and Civil Engineering from Trinity College Dublin and is a Member of Engineers Ireland, as well as a Deloitte Best Managed Company CEO, and an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist.
Operating in Ireland, the UK and Scandinavia, Mainline provides a wide range of services from the Design & Build of Sub-stations, to construction of Airside Aviation Infrastructure, to Turn-key Wind & Solar Energy Solutions.
Mainline has a robust corporate management structure, underpinned by ISO 45001, 14001, 9001 and cyber essentials accreditations as well as the Platinum Member Deloitte Best Managed Company status.
CONTACT DETAILS
https://mainline.ie/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-o-rourke-4298301/
MORE INFORMATION
Looking 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/
Greg Hayden is a dynamic innovator who is all about reinvention and the power of keeping things fresh.
Over the course of the past 17 years Greg and his team at Ethos Engineering have ridden one wave after another in the constantly evolving tech space. On this episode of the Amplify podcast, he gives us a front-row view into what it looks like to go from boom to bust, pivot quickly and pioneer frontiers such as data centre transformation, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and blockchain.
He also shares what he believes should be our global current priorities (particularly around climate change) and the logic behind basing his company culture on outcomes rather than hours logged.
Whether it’s developing energy-efficient next-gen data centres, creating exciting new points of entry for smart buildings or reconceiving the ways in which we share global resources, Ethos’s … well, ethos … is all about vision, innovation and agility. Greg sees technology and its interplay socially and economically as a fascinating “jigsaw” – with diverse points of view, constant learning and openness to surprise as the central drivers.
“The world has changed so, so fast. We need to not only keep up with it, but surpass ourselves by bringing something new and fresh,” he says. “And the only way you can do that is through innovation!”
TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE
- How repetitive tasks represent an area rich with opportunity for digitization through machine learning.
- What smart buildings have to offer in terms of real-time data customized to our individual live/work environments and needs, including things like air quality, energy efficiency, meal planning and other elements of a living lab.
- Greg shares the smart culture at Ethos’s offices, from scheduling conference space for collaborations to controlling room temperature in real time to reserving a parking space.
- Why data centres don’t deserve vilification
- Why Ireland’s future lies in building out future-facing, ambitious energy infrastructure.
- Should CPDs reflect bleeding-edge technologies? Greg says, Yes! Without a doubt, engineers need to be at the forefront of development and scalability.
- Work-life balance, it’s practical implementation at Ethos and how scheduling non-negotiable pockets of quality time will change your life.
GUEST DETAILS
Greg Hayden’s role at Ethos is to attract, grow, and enable the best talent in the industry to support clients in the delivery of best-in-class projects. He works with some of the most significant clients in the Data Centre, Smart Buildings, Sustainability, and Commercial Sectors. He enjoys continually learning and developing, from his Honours Degree in Energy Engineering to his International MBA, and recently AI, Blockchain, and current IoT business strategy training at MIT.
Ethos Engineering has has designed, delivered and provided master planning services for 45 data centres, including 23 in Ireland. The firm has also completed 9.6 million sq. ft. of office space (including shell & core and fit outs), 4 million sq. ft. of mixed-use developments, 14 Linac Accelerators, 8,562 residential units, 7,200 student beds, 2,000 dwellings, 1,700 hotel beds, 1,100 prison cells, 3,000 healthcare beds and 30 operating theatres - in Ireland and internationally.
CONTACT DETAILS
https://www.ethoseng.ie/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-hayden-mba-chartered-engineer-7339b514/
MORE INFORMATION
Looking 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/
What misperceptions are young people harbouring about the field of engineering? Do they know about the exciting diversity of opportunities available out in the field?
Damien Owens believes that Ireland would benefit from broader education and apprenticeships to spread the word! “Engineering is a difficult subject to study but one of the best,” he says. “It opens up a whole variety of careers – and not just in engineering.”
A Fellow of Engineers Ireland, Damien also highlights another hidden truth about engineering careers: Very often the most compelling work and greatest achievements never make it into the public consciousness. That’s because it’s very often the disasters averted, the challenges met behind the scenes, that reveal the engineer’s true superpowers.
Learn about the role STEM education has to play in supporting the development of future engineers and find out about exciting opportunities across a huge spectrum of disciplines, from biomedical to industrial, computer science to green technology.
TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE
- Why engineers are constantly innovating strategic tools in response to the most pressing social, commercial and environmental challenges of our times
- How heightened visibility, improved communications and easy online access to tools have cracked open the field of engineering globally.
- How Engineering Ireland supports international standards and best practices, generating a vital, multinational flow of job opportunities and education at home and abroad.
- Why it’s critically important that parents and mentors emphasize the variety of career paths (beyond construction) that STEM studies open up for young people across a number of disciplines, from biomedical to environmental to industrial.
- Redefining the concept of apprenticeship: About the benefits of providing blended “learning while earning” opportunities through professional training.
- Damien assesses the landscape in terms of engineering opportunities, especially in the realm of wind farming and other green technologies.
GUEST DETAILS
Damien Owens is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Ireland. He has served as Registrar for Engineers Ireland and Chief Risk Officer, helping to create and maintain academic and professional standards for the engineering profession. Key aspects of his role include implementing an active accreditation process for engineering programmes delivered in Ireland to ensure they meet the best international standards. He also represents the interests of engineering professionals at national and international forums and speaks on related topics in national and international media.
Damien has served as President of the European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education (ENAEE) and Chair of the International Engineering Alliance – both organisations that set standards for engineering education and mobility across the globe. He is also a member of the Accreditation Board of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers. Previously, as a member of Engineers Ireland, he was chairman of the ICT Division, a member of the Executive Committee and was elected to the Council of Engineers Ireland.
Prior to joining Engineers Ireland, Damien worked in the telecommunications sector, focusing on product development and strategic alliances. He has been active on a number of national and international standards bodies including EU, ITUTS and the National Standards Authority of Ireland ETCI. He also participates in a number of national consultative groups.
CONTACT DETAILS
https://www.linkedin.com/in/damienowens/
MORE INFORMATION
Looking 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/