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Future of Education Q2 2022

Increasing talent pipeline for manufacturing through apprenticeships

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Barry Comerford

Vice Chair, Irish Medtech Association and CEO, Cambus Medical

Ireland boasts a dynamic manufacturing industry. To compete internationally and grow we need a new approach to widen the talent pipeline.


Ireland’s manufacturing industry employs 260,000 people across 150,000 businesses in a range of sectors such as medtech, polymer technology and engineering.

As an ex-army apprentice, I saw the value presented by developing modern apprenticeship programmes that reflected international best practice to reach more people.

That is why I was delighted to join the Irish Medtech Association Consortium, with Mergon International General Manager Aisling Nolan leading the Polymer Technology Ireland Consortium, to create the new industry-led manufacturing programmes.

The potential for these programmes was evident not only to businesses but also the Government. The new Manufacturing Technician, Manufacturing Engineering, and Polymer Processing Technology Apprenticeships were selected by the Department of Education and Skills to be amongst the first new apprenticeships launched as part of a major modernisation project.

Rising demand drives expansion

The high-calibre of these programmes, which cover a range of modules such as manufacturing automation, computer aided design and polymer processing, has led to the apprenticeships providing both an alternative route to traditional university degrees. They also provide a new avenue for upskilling high potential talent under Ibec Project Manager Trish Breen.

Nearly 400 apprentices have been enrolled across more than 100 companies. Organisations such as Johnson & Johnson, Boston Scientific, Nordson Medical and Pfizer have now participated in these schemes with companies now on a waiting list for the 2022 class intakes.

As an ex-army apprentice, I saw the value presented by developing modern apprenticeship programmes that reflected international best practice to reach more people.

The next intakes for the Manufacturing Engineering Apprenticeships begin in July in Cork, Limerick, and Galway while the Polymer Technology programme will start in early September.

Discussions are also underway to expand into the east coast with delivery being considered by TU Dublin and the Waterford Institute of Technology.

Ensuring sustainability and access

I am proud to be joining the Government’s National Apprenticeship Alliance as the Ibec nominated industry-representative to share my experience. I want to ensure that the apprenticeships reflect the latest skills needs for business to offer high quality jobs for graduates of these programmes.

As part of this advocacy work we will be reaching out to the Government to ensure that a sustainable funding model is in place which ensures equality of access to companies both big and small. Additionally, the gender-based bursary announced in April marks a step forward for increasing the number of women and girls in STEM.

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