Students from Tipperary invited to STEM event for girls as first speakers announced

Teenage female students from Tipperary are invited to attend I Wish 2026, as International Rose of Tralee and apprentice electrical engineer Katelyn Cummins is announced as one of the first headline speakers at the re-imagined I Wish Festival, taking place on 5 February 2026 at the RDS Dublin.

As technologies such as artificial intelligence continue to reshape design, builds and innovation, the 12th annual I Wish will place a strong emphasis on applied STEM skills and future-ready career pathways for females. This includes a new dedicated Construction Zone, delivered in partnership with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF).

The zone will provide hands-on demonstrations; insight into apprenticeships and engineering pathways; and direct engagement with women working across this evolving sector.

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Almost 4,000 female teenage students from across the island of Ireland will attend the 12th annual I Wish Festival for an immersive, experience-led programme designed to build confidence, curiosity and awareness of real-world STEM careers. Registration is still open at iwish.ie/tickets.

I Wish co-founder Gillian Keating said: “Construction has the lowest female representation of any sector in Ireland, at just over 10% overall, and only 1% on building sites. Ireland urgently needs these skills, and we must work harder to encourage young women to consider construction pathways. Early exposure is critical. If girls don’t see these careers as options in school, the talent pipeline simply won’t meet industry demand.”

The 2025 I Wish Survey of Female Students’ Attitudes to STEM found that access to practical STEM subjects remains dramatically lower for girls in single-sex schools, with just 5% reporting access to Construction Studies and 6% to Engineering, compared with 84% and 74% respectively in mixed schools, despite near-universal access to Biology and Chemistry.

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Katelyn Cummins, the 2025 International Rose of Tralee, is currently completing the third phase of an electrical apprenticeship with Alpha Drives Ltd. A passionate advocate for apprenticeships and alternative pathways, she has used her platform to champion applied STEM routes into engineering and construction-related careers.

Additional confirmed speakers for I Wish 2026 include Irish Olympian Gráinne Walsh; Mary O’Donnell, I Wish alumna and aeronautical engineer; Marie Moynihan, Senior Vice President of Global Human Resource Services at Dell Technologies; Weronika Mozolewska, Quality Assurance Engineer at Dell Technologies; and Elaine Laird, Head of People and Culture at Logitech. Further speakers will be announced in the coming weeks. TV Presenter, Katja Mia will be MC for I Wish 2026.

Co-founder Caroline O’Driscoll added: “Year after year, students tell us they’re interested in STEM but don’t always see where it can lead. I Wish exists to bridge that gap by connecting girls with real people, real careers and real opportunities. We’re incredibly grateful to our industry partners and speakers who continue to support I Wish. Their involvement is essential in helping students understand what’s possible and in building the future STEM workforce Ireland needs.”

To support nationwide access, Iarnród Éireann will again provide free rail transport from 22 locations across the Republic of Ireland, while a partnership with Translink will ensure accessibility for students travelling from Northern Ireland.

The I Wish Festival is supported by Deloitte, along with Dell Technologies, Regeneron, Johnson & Johnson, Iarnród Éireann and Logitech.