Courses
Conor Thompson
Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering
Donegal – Letterkenny
Tell us a little bit about yourself and what led you to choosing your course?
My name is Conor and I am from Donegal. I enjoy playing football going to the gym and hanging out with my friends. I really enjoyed math and science growing up so decided to study physics and applied math as two of my leaving cert subjects in secondary school. I have always liked working with my hands as well as solving problems so with the help of guidance teachers in secondary school they pointed me in the direction of Civil Engineering. I always knew I wanted to study a STEM course and for the longest time I had my eyes set on a general science degree, however when I weighed up my options I wasn’t sure what I would like to do after college with a science degree whereas with an Civil Engineering degree you get a career alongside your qualifications. I have always been interested in construction too with uncles and grandparents working jobs in trades and contracting, I believe Civil Engineering has the perfect mix of hands on practical work with the the problem solving science orientated desk work I also enjoy.
What are your favourite modules on the course?
Some of my favorite modules on the course were:
Physics
Surveying
Infrastructure
I liked physics as it was one of my favorite subjects in secondary school. I loved learning about how the world works and my lecturer Gerry Kelly was an absolute gentleman.
I liked surveying as it was the most practical hands on module we did. It consisted of the class going outside every week and taking measurements as you would on a real construction site.
Infrastructure was interesting as I am very interested in transport and road development so learning about the steps taken when designing roads and motorways was interesting. Learning about the requirements for junctions also was very interesting.
Is there anything else about the course that you particularly enjoy or find beneficial?
The best thing about my course was definitely the small class sizes. This meant everyone knew everyone and it allowed for us all to be friends and help each other out if we got stuck at any point along the way. This also meant we got to know our lecturers as well. This is beneficial as they know what we are capable of and can help us if we get stuck. Making these personal connections over three years really made the experience in ATU very smooth and enjoyable.
What is the best thing about your course that you think new applicants should know?
Honestly, there is a lot of work. Between continuous assessment assignments and the exams at the end of each semester you do have to take it at least a little bit seriously. All it takes is a little bit of work each week to stay on top of things throughout each semester. This course can be quite math heavy at times too, at the end of the day it is an engineering degree so it should come as no surprise. There are so many services to help you. I know our class in particular went to the curve for an extra hour every week to do math tutorials and it helped us all so much.
If you were speaking with a first year student about to start your course, what advice would you give them?
Make the most of first year. It is the easiest when talking about course work and exams and everything is just that little bit more relaxed. Now I’m not saying slack off but definitely use the time to make friends, join clubs, societies or sports teams and enjoy the Letterkenny nightlife. You’ll look back in third year and realize how good it was.
Are you involved in sport, volunteering or have other passions you pursue outside of your academic life?
I play Gaelic football with my local club Sean McCumhaills. I enjoy going to the gym and recuperating in the steam room after a swim at the Finn Valley center. I spend my summers working with a local civil engineering company and have got to work all over the country such as in Ballina in Mayo, Midleton in Cork and Edenderry in Offaly.
What are your plans after ATU and any long-term goals you are aiming for?
After I graduate from ATU I plan on heading to Edinburgh to complete my Level 8 honors degree. From there I believe I can take my degree anywhere in the world and be an extremely employable graduate. I would particularly love to work in the United States or Germany as I studied German in secondary school.