Prestigious scholarship for Mayo engineering student
MAYO student Orlaith Heaney has been awarded a prestigious €24,000 scholarship from Trane Technologies Thermoking. This scholarship, designated for students in Teen Turn, will provide Orlaith with €6,000 annually over the course of her four-year engineering degree at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Galway City.
Orlaith, a former student at Mount Saint Michael Secondary School, has been engaged with Teen-Turn since she was in first year after being introduced to Teen-Turn’s afterschool programme by a friend.
Orlaith had many successful projects during her years of attendance at the afterschool programmes, participating in Technovation, Scifest and BT Young scientist. Most recently she was honoured with a National Garda Community Safety Award.
Orlaith progressed to attending Teen-Turn PLUS Saturday clubs, which deliver advanced learning in subjects that are not universally offered in all-girls’ secondary schools in Ireland, providing participants with foundational skills critical for engineering and technology courses at the university level.
It was through Orlaith’s participation in Teen-Turn’s PLUS programme that she discovered a strong passion for engineering, with a particular interest in robotics, automation and manufacturing engineering. Securing a ‘Teen-Turnship’, a two-week summer work placement in Trane Technologies in Galway in the summer of fifth year, further cemented Orlaith's desire to study engineering.
Orlaith applied to the common engineering programme at ATU Galway City, which will allow her to experience various branches of engineering in her first year before deciding on her specialisation.
Said Orlaith: “Teen-Turn gave me opportunities I never would have had, from coding to building robots and learning from real engineers. These experiences showed me that engineering is where I want to be and I am excited to bring what I have learned into my studies at ATU.
“Teen-Turn’s programmes helped me discover my love for robotics and automation and I am eager to explore all branches of engineering in my first year at ATU. I cannot wait to dive into a career where I can make a real impact.”
The Trane Technologies scholarship is designed to provide financial support to young women like Orlaith and also to offer them access to invaluable professional resources. Scholarship recipients will benefit from mentorship and guidance from engineering experts throughout their studies and will have the opportunity to complete co-op rotations at the state-of-the-art Thermo King facility in Galway.
This unique combination of financial assistance and professional exposure is intended to reduce financial and academic barriers, empowering scholarship recipients to excel in their STEM careers.
This initiative aligns closely with Trane Technologies’ 'Sustainable Futures' Global Corporate Strategy, which aims to increase access to STEM education and careers for underrepresented groups. By empowering talented young women like Orlaith, Trane Technologies hopes to inspire future leaders who will drive innovation in engineering and make a positive impact on our world.