Meath engineer inspired by family farm

Saturday 2 March marked the start of National Engineers Week, which will run until Friday 8 March.

The initiative was created to introduce primary and secondary school children to the diverse world of engineering and to help them consider a career in the field.

Engineering graduate Anna Potterton from Dunboyne, Co Meath, is working on the EirGrid graduate programme. She is part of the first cohort in the EirGrid programme to have more female engineers than male.

Having grown up on a farm surrounded by the outdoors, Anna has always had a passion for climate action and sustainability. She wanted to merge these passions with a future career.

“I live on a small sheep farm in Meath. My dad has always been interested in biodiversity and we are currently rewilding some of the fields at home on the farm to promote biodiversity.

"I joined the environmental committee when I started secondary school and really enjoyed working towards making the school more environmentally friendly,” says Anna.

Fast forward a few years and Anna’s curiosity in mechanics and the outdoors saw her complete both an undergraduate and master’s degree in mechanical engineering and energy systems engineering at UCD.

A career in renewable energy

Anna knew she wanted to focus her career on renewable energy, so she started a graduate programme with EirGrid.

“My team plans the development of the transmission system, including planning the connection of new generation and demand customers and strengthening the grid through future development,” she says.

In short, Anna explains that EirGrid has a vital role in the complex job of balancing supply and demand every minute of the day.

“I was also keen to work in EirGrid, as they are heavily involved in the process of achieving Ireland’s climate targets. Through current targets, up to 80% of Ireland’s electricity needs to come from renewable sources by 2030, which is a tall order,” she adds.

For anyone considering a career in engineering, Anna offers the following advice: “For someone with an engineering background or interest, the renewable energy sector is both a challenging and exciting area to be in.

"I would suggest to anyone considering a career in this area to apply and give it a go, as there are so many different roles and it is very fulfilling to know you are working towards achieving a more sustainable future.”

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