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civic · Thursday 15 October 2026 · 10:00am 
Engineering the South East 2026
At SETU Arena · Carriganore, Waterford, Co. Waterford
At SETU Arena · Carriganore, Waterford, Co. Waterford
Engineering the South East 2026 runs at SETU Arena on Thursday, 15 October, from 10am to 4pm. Organised by Waterford Chamber of Commerce and previously known as Toys4Engineers, the conference and expo brings together the region’s engineering, manufacturing, innovation and technology sectors for a day of talks, exhibition stands and networking, positioning the South East as a serious base for engineering work rather than a satellite of Dublin or Cork.
The day is built around connecting people who rarely sit in the same room: multinational manufacturers with a presence in the South East, indigenous engineering firms, third-level educators and students weighing up where to start a career. Expect an exhibition floor of company stands running alongside a programme of talks on the state of engineering and manufacturing in the region, with an emphasis on the practical, who is hiring, what skills are in demand, what is actually being built locally, rather than abstract industry-conference chat. SETU Arena’s scale (it is South East Technological University’s main event space, on the Carriganore campus west of Waterford city) means the event can run exhibition stands and a full conference programme under one roof. It is aimed squarely at industry professionals, students and educators rather than the general public, so expect a business-casual crowd of engineers, HR staff and lecturers rather than a family day out.
SETU Arena is on the Carriganore campus, on the western edge of Waterford city, a short drive from the city centre with on-site parking for the conference. There is no direct rail link to the campus, so most attendees drive or arrange a lift.
Carriganore sits just outside the city centre, so it is easy to combine a visit with time in Waterford itself before or after the conference. There is more to see in Waterford and across Co. Waterford.
Heading to SETU Arena in Waterford? Waterford has plenty more to see. Read the Waterford area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.