A polymer engineering apprenticeship scheme will be launched at the Athlone Institute of Technology, County Westmeath.
A persistent shortage of polymer engineers in Ireland has prompted the launch of a new scholarship programme at Athlone, with the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (Polymer Group South, Ireland) joining with JL Goor to award two students each year with a Bursary for €3,000 over the three remaining years of their course. The first Scholarships were awarded in April 2017 at the IOM3 annual Seminar in Athlone to the successful second year students on the B.Eng (Hons) Mechanical and Polymer Engineering.
Louis Goor, Director of JL Goor, said: “As JL Goor we are excited at this opportunity to recognise and support the Polymer students at AIT. We know first-hand the value of this course as we have three past students employed. The growth of the Irish polymer industry is dependent on a continuous flow of able, ambitious polymer engineers and we hope to encourage this with these Scholarships.”
Joe Wall, Chairman IOM3 Polymer Group South, Ireland, said: “The IOM3 Polymer Group is delighted to enable this sponsorship. The polymer processing industry is one of the few manufacturing sectors in Ireland that is thriving and it needs high calibre students coming through to fill the demand from processing companies. AIT have a long history of supplying well qualified polymer engineers to our industry and we want to continue to foster and recognise this excellence.”
Photo – L to RLouis Goor – Managing Director – JL GoorNiall Gavin – StudentBryan Slattery – StudentGearoid Clarke – Managing Director – JL Goor Materials