SETU hosted its annual Engineering Week 2026 across its campuses in Waterford and Carlow.
The week welcomed students from across the south east, featuring hands-on workshops, competitions, and career-focused sessions that encouraged exploration, creativity, and innovation within the world of engineering.
SETU’s STEM Engagement Centre, Calmast, organized all events in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Engineers Ireland’s South East Region, and the Engineering the South East industry cluster.
Practical learning
Students learned to make LED cards light up and took part in paper engineering activities to understand basic construction and mechanics. Other participants attended 3D printing workshops to understand how digital designs are transformed into physical models.
Students also explored electricity and wiring in the Electrical Lighting workshop, learning about safety, circuits, and how lights and switches are connected throughout homes and buildings. In the Wind Power workshop, students tested small turbines, found their output, calculated power, and learned basic electricity principles, helping them understand how renewable energy powers communities.
Competitions and innovation
Throughout the week, students showcased their creativity and teamwork in a series of exciting competitions. Primary students participated in the KAPLA Block Challenge by creating models based on practical inventions, while in the Robotics Challenge, post-primary students worked in teams to design and build robots, competing to find the fastest, best-designed, and best-programmed robot.
The ‘Engineering your ideas’ workshop challenged students to design and present a LEGO product for a fictional company, helping them apply both business and engineering skills with the guidance of SETU lecturers.
Engineering as a career
Students had a unique opportunity to explore military engineering and technology at the Defence Forces engineering experience, learning how engineering and technology are used in the military. Students took part in hands-on projects, explored military vehicles, and learned about the Mars Rover student initiative at the University.
Lastly, students explored engineering as a career path by attending workshops and meeting with engineers and scientists, learning about the career opportunities available within the industry. Throughout the week, participants explored robotics, automated systems, and mechanical, biomedical, electronic, and aerospace engineering at SETU.
