Secondary School STEM Opportunities
In order to empower students to make fully informed choices about their future careers, we believe they need to have as much information as possible. We offer a range of free experiences that will provide career guidance advice and work placement opportunities in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).
Classroom Visits
Explore our secondary school outreach initiative, designed to empower young adults through school visits, career talks, and immersive workshops for future generations. This initiative encourages students to consider studying science at third level, illustrates scientific career opportunities and enhances their scientific awareness. If you would like your class to avail of a career talk or workshop please complete an Expression of Interest Form here. Visits are subject to availability and are limited.
Workshops
Workshops can be offered in person or remotely depending on the workshop, school’s needs, but also researcher availability.
Workshops include:
| Activity Name | Activity Description | Activity Time | Year(s) this is suited for | In-person or Online | Languages this is available in | Key words | Facilitated by |
| Communicating with Light | This workshop will delve into how we communicate and the science behind our communication technologies including WiFi and fiber optics. Participants will have the opportunity to test their own communication strategy before taking part in a head-to-head fiber optic race. | 40 minutes | 3rd – 5th | Available in-person or online | English | Optical communications
Fibre optics Workshop
|
IPIC |
| Light into Sound | Optical communication is a method of transmitting information as light signals through fiber optic cables or free space. It is used for long-distance data transmission and high-speed internet connections. In this experiment, students will learn how this signal can be used to encode sound information onto a laser. Students will have the opportunity to build their own laser transmitter and receiver system. | 40 minutes | 3rd – 5th | Available in-person or online | English
German |
Optical communications
Fibre optics Lasers Communication Electronics Workshop Hands-on making
|
IPIC |
Career Talks
Our researchers conduct in-class or virtual talks career talks. This initiative encourages students to consider studying science at third level, illustrates scientific career opportunities and enhances their scientific awareness. Our researchers come from diverse backgrounds, countries and cultures to conduct world-class research in Cork. Their career paths are inspiring and insightful and can broaden student’s imaginations to include career paths they may not have considered beforehand. Talks will last 30 – 40 minutes. If you would like your class to avail of a career talk please submit an expression of interest form. Visits are subject to availability and are limited.
Transition Year Work Placement
Tyndall takes part in two structured Transition Year Work Experience Programmes each year. They are the ‘HighTechElec TY Programme’ and the ‘Tyndall TY Programme’. Details about these programmes can be found below:
HighTechElec TY Programme
The ‘High Tech Elec’ is a collaboration between CEIA, Tyndall, UCC, MTU and CEIA member companies, developed to give TY students an insight into the high tech careers open to them in industry and academia. The programme is co-ordinated and organised by CEIA.
Participating students undertake a week of physics, electronics and technology based workshops, lectures, career talks, and industry placement, culminating in an innovation competition – the TechnoDen. This unique structured one-week programme provides a positive experience for pupils genuinely interested in taking up a science or engineering career.
Students must submit an application form for consideration to CEIA. Applications open typically sometime between November – January and are available from the CEIA website.
Not every student who applies will be offered a place. The decision of the reviewing committee is final. If a student is offered a place on the programme, participation in the full week is required.
The Tyndall TY Programme
The Tyndall TY week Programme gives transition year secondary school students a flavour of a week in the life of a researcher in our world-class research facility as well as the opportunity to learn about topics like electronics, sensors, materials science, electrochemistry, photonics and physics through talks, demonstrations, lab tours and workshops.
As part of the programme, students will be divided into groups and assigned a researcher to interview during the week. Each student must research the topic area of their assigned researcher and create a presentation in teams of 2-3 members about the researcher they interviewed and their area of work. Each team will present for 5 minutes at the end of the week.
The programme typically takes place for a week in February or March. Applications for the Tyndall TY Programme are currently closed and will reopen the middle of October 2025. There are a limited number of places and each application will be weighted and assessed. Students will be notified regarding the outcome of their application by the end of October/start of November.