Suir Engineering’s female apprentices encourage young women to break barriers and explore careers in electrical and instrumentation trades
In celebration of International Women’s Day, female apprentices from Suir Engineering are encouraging young women to explore rewarding careers in trades. Despite important progress towards greater gender balance in Ireland, women are still underrepresented in the trade sector – only 5.2% of state apprenticeships and 9.1% of the construction workforce are female.
However, there has been an improvement as 60 percent of Irish teenage girls now cite gender inequality as a barrier to STEM careers, down from 83% in 2021, according to a 2024 survey.
Sarah Quilligan, 23, an apprentice electrician, is breaking new ground as the first woman in her family to pursue a trade. She encourages women to “Do what makes you happy, not what everyone else wants.”
Suir Engineering’s current portfolio includes ten female apprentices, all breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
The apprenticeship programme offers hands-on training in electrical and instrumentation trades, presenting an opportunity for those seeking an alternative to university. Apprentices gain real-world experience, earn as they learn, and work on cutting-edge projects across energy, renewables, data centres, and life sciences.
“Apprentices can earn and learn while gaining an internationally recognized qualification,” said Suir Engineering Chief Operations Officer (COO) Brendan Moley.