Diego Ramos
Winning the Digital Infrastructure Design competition at WorldSkills was life changing for me. It widened my technical capabilities and deepened my passion for linear infrastructure. The competition was a true test of skill as I had to think outside the box and perform under pressure. There were several problems that needed to be solved which reflect real life challenges, and this pushed me to extend my capabilities and reach new limits. I can say that my career has advanced tremendously since then.
Building a professional network with other competitors and professionals became a lot easier because of the recognition that I received. It further strengthened my ability to manage complex challenges and developed a more sophisticated problem-solving approach. I will forever consider my involvement in WorldSkills to be life-changing because it prepared me for achieving success in a fast-evolving digital world. It was an extremely positive and enjoyable experience, and I would strongly recommend anyone pursuing a career in linear infrastructure design consider participating.
Leah Glass
My name is Leah Glass, and I am in my fourth and final year of my Bachelors (Hons) of Engineering Civil Engineering degree in Dundalk Institute of Technology. I had the honour of being a finalist for the 2024 WorldSkills Ireland, held in the RDS in Dublin. I competed in the Digital Infrastructure Design competition. This competition was an amazing experience and an incredible opportunity to apply and push my knowledge in linear infrastructure, design and analysis of transportation networks, utility systems and advancing digital modelling techniques.
With support from academic and industry experts, I utilised Autodesk Civil 3D to create transportation networks and utility systems. From starting with practise questions during the summer, to the final day of the competition, I was learning new skills and techniques which have benefited me in my academic journey and will, no doubt, be of great value to me when I enter the industry.
This experience was amazing from start to finish, and I highly recommend anyone pursuing a career in linear infrastructure design. Pushing yourself to learn new techniques and software’s, to widen your knowledge in this area has only great benefits.
Sean Doyle
Hi, my name is Sean, and I graduated from ATU Galway City in 2023. I had the privilege of representing my university at the national WorldSkills competition, where I competed in the Digital Infrastructure Design category and secured first place.
I chose to participate in WorldSkills because of my strong passion for linear infrastructure, which aligned perfectly with my civil engineering studies. The competition was an incredible opportunity to apply my skills to real-world projects, allowing me to refine my technical expertise and problem-solving abilities. This experience played a key role in securing my current job in Canada, as it demonstrated my capability to design, manage, and implement infrastructure solutions in a professional setting.
The three-day competition was both challenging and rewarding, pushing me to excel in all aspects of linear infrastructure design. It tested my ability to work under pressure, think critically, and deliver high-quality results—skills that have since proven invaluable in my career.
Colm Healy
Hi, I am Colm Healy. I graduated from ATU Galway in 2022 with an honour’s degree in Civil Engineering and I am currently employed as a Design engineer with a RPS Group based in Galway. In 2022 and 2023, I competed in the Digital Infrastructure Design Competition at WorldSkills Ireland in Dublin. In 2022 I won the competition.
The competition tested on my skills with software such as Autodesk Civil 3D and Autodesk Navisworks. I was tasked with the design of roads and pipe networks, and clash resolution. This experience significantly enriched my exposure to real-world highway and drainage design tasks, providing a comprehensive understanding of data management, 3D modelling and value engineering.
Participating in WorldSkills was very valuable for my studies and career, shaping my path in the transport sector and enhancing my professional skills. I highly recommend it to anyone pursuing a career in Civil Engineering.