Walton Institute inspires Kilkenny students to explore a career in research

Walton Institute at South East Technological University (SETU) recently welcomed students from schools across Waterford, Kilkenny and County Westmeath as part of the Institute’s inaugural Transition Year Camp.

Walton Institute is an internationally recognised centre of excellence for ICT research and innovation, and this new initiative aimed to give students an insight into the variety of exciting career opportunities available in this area.

Students from Waterpark, Gaelcholáiste, and St Angela’s Secondary Schools in Waterford, CSB in Kilkenny, and Colaiste Mhuire Mullingar attended the camp for four days at Walton Institute in SETU’s West Campus, Carriganore. As part of the programme they engaged in interactive sessions with the Walton team exploring cutting edge topics such as Software Engineering and AI, Programming IoT Devices, Emerging Communication Technologies and more. 
 
They also had a special opportunity to tour Walton Institute’s state-of-the-art facilities including the Data Centre, Mixed Reality Lab, and eTextiles and Smart Materials Lab.

“To maximise transition year students learning experiences we saw the need for a focused TY week that would fuel their curiosity and explore the wonders of current and emerging technologies inspiring them to consider pursuing a career in research or technology,” explained Dr Frances Cleary, Head of the Mobile Ecosystem and Pervasive Sensing (MEPS) Division at Walton Institute. 
 
The camp was a great success with many of the students expressing an interest in exploring research as a career in the future.

“The students were engaged and curious and we hope they concluded their week feeling inspired and with a deeper understanding of what roles exist within the ICT ecosystem,” said Jane Mahony, Senior HR Business Partner at Walton Institute. .

"TY work experience is a great way for students to learn about the multitude of career choices available, to help make informed decisions about future college/career routes, to meet like-minded students, and also to develop a range of transferable skills such as critical thinking and problem solving."

The Walton Institute Transition Year Camp will take place again in 2025. Limited spaces are available if you or your child would like to take part, contact hr@waltoninstitute.ie