A Day Of Discovery For Transition Year Students

Smart Dublin teamed up with Fingal County Council’s Digital Services department to take part in the 2025 Transition Year Xplore Your Future Skills Expo at the Helix, DCU. This event was a fantastic opportunity to connect with students and teachers and to spark conversations about career possibilities, while showcasing how technology is shaping the future across sectors like public service, health, sport, and education. The expo featured a wide range of interactive stands, from engineers and air force personnel to medical practitioners and sports professionals. Each stand aimed to bridge the gap between education and employment, inspiring students to explore the diverse opportunities available to them in the near future.
Inspiring Through Innovation
Fingal Libraries and the Smart Docklands’ Academy of the Near Future team joined us on the stand, and they brought along some exciting projects that really captured students’ imaginations. One of the highlights was the Makey Makey kits, which demonstrated how circuits work in a fun and interactive way. Using bananas as controllers, students were able to play numerous computer games—turning fruit into a functional mouse! This hands-on activity was not only entertaining but also a creative way to explain basic principles of technology and conductive energy. We also showcased two VR experiences: one offering a glimpse of what Swords Cultural Quarter will look like in the next few years after construction, and another featuring a model of Balbriggan Harbour regeneration project. These immersive experiences gave students a sense of how technology is changing the way we plan and design urban spaces, making future cities smarter and more sustainable. There was also a Makey Makey competition which gave schools the chance to win a kit and a free workshop on the creative applications of the technology—an opportunity to keep the learning going beyond the event.

We were also delighted to welcome Mayor Tom O’Leary of Fingal County Council, who stopped by our stand and even tried out the Makey Makey kit himself! His visit highlighted the importance of collaboration between local government and career-building initiatives like this expo to inspire the innovators of the future. Overall, the event was a huge success. Students showed genuine interest and asked thoughtful questions about careers in public service and technology. Their excitement really showed why events like this matter, as they help spark ideas and get the next generation thinking about innovation and the potential careers ahead of them.
Big congratulations to Anna Maria MacCourt, Steven Flynn, Kieran Tindley, Megan Davidson, Grace D’Arcy and David Onitiu who attended the event and held down the fort during the event.