Delivered to 29 students from Columba College Killucan the initiative originally began as a placement for 12 girls completing the STEM Passport for Inclusion with Maynooth University, but strong demand and collaboration with the school broadened it to include 29 Transition Year students, reflecting the growing interest in construction and engineering pathways.
The initiative builds on a series of education-focused efforts by the Construction Industry Federation, including the Constructing Careers Programme and the STEM Passport for Inclusion Programme with Maynooth University
Across five consecutive days, students experienced a meaningful mix of classroom learning, industry training, live construction site exposure, and factory-based engineering insight. The programme included:
Introductions to company ambassadors from Bennett Construction and Shay Murtagh, including overviews of their operations, career opportunities and various routes into the industry.
Completion of CIF Safe Pass training, enabling students to understand core safety requirements in the construction sector.
A visit to Bennett Construction’s live Cromcastle Residential Development in Coolock, a live 146-unit housing project for the LDA, where students engaged directly with engineers, managers, and the wider site team.
A guided tour of the Shay Murtagh Precast manufacturing facility, with demonstrations of precast production, “role speed dating” across eight disciplines, and an “Ask the MD” session with Ciaran Murtagh.
A final day at Bennett Headquarters, where students completed a final networking session with team members from estimating, preconstruction, purchasing, marketing and HR. Students presented video highlights of their week to Joint MD, Paul Bruton, and had a celebratory close out with certificates, goody bags and pizza.
This collaborative model delivers a significant next step in the sector’s growing commitment to nurturing future talent and promoting rewarding careers in construction offering meaningful engagement while demystifying the industry and encouraging a new pipeline of skilled and diverse talent.
This alongside STEMP Mentoring Programme which now features an impressive network of 100 trained mentors from across the construction industry, the industry is offering students hands-on learning experiences, structured guidance, and unique exposure to real-world projects.
Paul Bruton, Joint Managing Director, Bennett Construction, said: “It was a great week. As a first of its kind mentoring model within the construction sector, we were delighted to host so many students from Columba College. The mentoring week gave students time to connect with the team, build confidence and ask questions that mattered to them. It also helped us identify the learning style that suited them best. Our goal was to highlight the wide variety of roles in the sector and the different pathways to reach them, whether through college, apprenticeships, or earn-as-you-learn programmes.”
Gillian Murtagh, Shared Services Director, Shay Murtagh Precast, said:“As a company deeply invested in service excellence, we see this next step as a pivotal part for shaping Ireland’s future skills base. By offering mentorship, hands-on learning, and direct access to our teams and facilities, we hope to ignite curiosity and confidence in students considering career paths in STEM and construction. A really enjoyable week was had by everyone and delighted to play a role in broadening participation and nurturing a more diverse industry for the years ahead.”
Sean Downey, Director of Education, Training and Skills, CIF, said: “CIF were delighted to support the industry’s firm commitment to building the next generation of talent. With the support of members like Bennett Construction and Shay Murtagh, we are creating clear, structured pathways for young people to explore STEM fields within the construction sector. This is not only an investment in students, but in the long-term sustainability and innovation of Ireland’s built environment.”
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