The ground-breaking Midlands STEM education programme took home the National Impact Award at the 2026 LAMA All-Ireland Community & Council Awards.
The Midlands STEM programme is a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics programme reaching thousands of students across the Midland region each year. The Midlands is the first region in Ireland to have dedicated STEM Engagement Officers working in each county, through Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath County Councils and funded under the EU Just Transition Fund.
Over 25 different STEM programmes are now running in schools across the region, flagship programmes include VEX Robotics, STEM Passport for Inclusion, DreamBig, Microsoft Dreamspace, Ericsson INFUSE, Code4Fun, First Lego League and the Early Pathways Second Level programme.
The award-winning VEX Robotics programme was introduced by Offaly County Council and is now available to students aged 7-17 across the region, teaching skills in robotics, coding, teamwork and engineering. The region has been highly successful in the international programme with teams from the region winning awards at national level and travelling to the world championships in the US on numerous occasions.
The STEM Passport for Inclusion programme was led by Longford County Council and is available to TY students, offering an opportunity to secure a Level 6 qualification as well as 50 bonus CAO points on STEM-related courses in Maynooth University, TUS and MTU. The programme initially focussed on girls and DEIS schools and is now also being expanded to include boys and additional schools across the region.
In supporting STEM programmes in schools, the County Councils are also actively engaging with schools to ensure that they have qualified staff to support them. The region has partnered with ATU Atlantic Technological University to support teachers in undertaking a H.Dip. in Computer Science. To date, 36 teachers have undertaken the course, leading to more and more of the regions secondary schools offering Computer Science at Leaving Cert level.
Working together to support Midlands communities
As a region deeply impacted by Just Transition, the County Councils have worked together to innovate for the communities of the region, inspiring the next generation and ensuring they have opportunities here within the Midlands. The Midlands STEM programme is just one example of how working in partnership supports the region to go further in delivering impact for communities.
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the LAMA awards, the event took place at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre on 28th February 2026, marking a truly special occasion. The Awards shine a spotlight on the incredible collaboration between communities and councils. They provide a platform to showcase outstanding local initiatives, honour unsung heroes, and acknowledge the remarkable contributions that enrich and strengthen our communities.
The National Impact Award at the LAMA’s comes after the Midlands STEM programme also took home the Local Authority Innovation Award at the Chamber Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards, while the programme was also a finalist in the European Innovation in Politics Awards.
The Midlands STEM programme is part of the Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan Pathway for Transition programme, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union under the EU Just Transition Fund 2021-2027.
