Ibec Medtech and Engineering, the Ibec group which represents the medtech, engineering and polymer sectors, celebrated the graduation of 54 Manufacturing Engineering and Polymer Technology Apprentices who were the first to receive their Bachelor’s Degree (Level 7) this week. IT Sligo students were among those who graduated.
Ibec Medtech & Engineering Director, Sinead Keogh said: “The Manufacturing Engineering and Polymer Technology Apprenticeships were amongst the first 25 apprenticeships launched by the Department of Education and Skills with industry, and today marks a major milestone with the first apprentices graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree (Level 7). I’d like to congratulate all those involved. These programmes represent a radical modernisation from the traditional apprenticeships, they offer new routes to high-tech careers by equipping participants with skills such as manufacturing automation, engineering science, polymer processing, and lean manufacturing.
“Ireland is world renowned as a location of choice for manufacturing, we’re grateful to the 33 businesses which helped today’s apprentices gain the skills of tomorrow. The incredible list of participating companies includes global leaders such as, DePuy Synthes, Stryker, Boston Scientific, Alcon, Abbott Diabetes, and West Pharma. The importance of manufacturing to the Irish economy has been highlighted by Covid-19, and these apprenticeships support regional growth with the programmes delivered across the country by the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Cork Institute of Technology, Athlone Institute of Technology, and IT Sligo.”
Ibec Medtech and Engineering Apprenticeships Project Manager Trish Breen said, “Congratulations to the graduating apprentices. I’d like to thank Solas, the Higher Education Authority, the Apprenticeship Council, the participating institutes of technology, and our industry consortium for working together to deliver these incredible Level 7 apprenticeships. We hope that the positive feedback on the calibre of employee emerging from these competitive programmes will encourage more people to choose the apprenticeships as a route to education that lets you earn as you learn. And with the right supports we believe that these programmes will help the Department of Education and Skills achieve its ambition to deliver 50,000 apprenticeship and traineeship registrations.”