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Contracts signed for completion of €24 million TUS Coonagh Engineering Campus
Contracts signed for completion of €24 million TUS Coonagh Engineering Campus. Pictured left to right are, TUS Governing Body Chair Josephine Feehily, Prof. Vincent Cunnane, President TUS, Bryan Quille, Director of Monami and Trevor Cavanagh, Regional Director Monami. Picture: Alan Place
Technological University of the Shannon and Monami Construction sign contracts for completion of €24 million TUS Coonagh Engineering Campus
Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) and Monami Construction have officially signed contracts for completion of the university’s Coonagh Engineering Campus which is expected to open in just over eight months.
Providing state-of-the-art workshops, laboratories research and learning facilities for up to 900 engineering students and apprentices, the Coonagh Engineering Campus will create a centre of excellence for manufacturing engineering and other widespread engineering activities in the region. The facility will allow for the expansion of technical workshop spaces, teaching spaces and social learning spaces. A new facility in automobile engineering will also be created at the campus.
Students will join the campus in less than a year, in January 2024, and work is now underway at the Limerick city campus by Monami Construction who will fit out the building to meet the ever-advancing needs of engineering students, as well as the provision of additional space for a range of apprenticeships. The fitout will include precision engineering and electrical engineering workshops and laboratories, an integrated HGV & LGV garage facility, lecture theatres, tutorial rooms, IT labs, catering facilities, student services centre, smarter travel facilities and general accommodation facilities and amenities.
The development of the Coonagh Engineering Campus creates capacity for dealing with the growth in demand for apprentices and students entering the engineering sector and also responds to the needs from industry for upskilling and research. According to a survey published by Engineers Ireland in January of this year, 72% of its members were concerned about a shortage of engineers with the correct skills. This was seen as the main barrier to growth for firms.
Speaking about the €24 million Coonagh Engineering Campus development, President of TUS, Professor Vincent Cunnane said, “We are delighted to have a clear opening date for the Coonagh Engineering Campus and look forward to welcoming students and apprentices on campus in less than a year from now. Students applying to TUS this year, our 2024 apprentices, as well as our current students, will be on site for the second semester next year. This state-of-the-art campus will play a significant role in responding to regional and national demand for skilled, work ready, engineering graduates and apprentices who will benefit from high quality training and education, research and support in a dynamic, progressive and inclusive environment.”
Bryan Quille, Director of Monami Construction said, “We are delighted to commence work with TUS on the Connagh Engineering Campus which will be a huge addition to the region. This fitout phase of the campus will see the creation of fit-for-purpose teaching, learning and research facilities for students, who can access hands-on learning and the latest advancements in engineering technology.”
The opening of The Coonagh Engineering Campus in January 2024 will serve the needs of new apprenticeship programmes, level 6 to level 8 undergraduate programmes and level 9 and level 10 post graduate programmes.