Cook Medical, the global medical technology company that employs 850 people in Ireland is encouraging industry, government and educational bodies to collaborate in promoting engineering education for primary and secondary pupils. The company is at the Ibec stand hosted by BioPharmaChem Ireland and the Irish Medtech Association at this year’s BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.
Alice O’Dwyer, Vice President of HR at Cook Medical, said:
“Ground-breaking advances in engineering require the workforce to constantly update their skill-sets and fill specialist roles. As such, industry, government and educational bodies need to prioritise collaboration to meet demand, and that includes providing a relevant and comprehensive education in engineering to pupils at primary and secondary level. Currently, only about 5,000 Leaving Cert pupils sit the Engineering exam, and we’d like to see this increase substantially over the next five years.
We welcome the Action Plan for Education, which was announced last November. This Department of Education initiative seeks to radically transform Irish STEM education, making Ireland the best place in Europe for education and skills training by 2026. We look forward to seeing this detailed plan take fruition and for ongoing collaboration between industry and educators to ensure Irish graduates have the necessary skills to take up jobs in the medical device sector.”
About Cook Medical
Since 1963 Cook Medical has worked closely with physicians to develop technologies that eliminate the need for open surgery. Today we are combining medical devices, biologic materials, and cellular therapies to help the world’s healthcare systems deliver better outcomes more efficiently. We have always remained family owned so that we have the freedom to focus on what we care about: patients, our employees, and our communities. We have 10 strategic business units addressing multiple medical specialties from vascular disease to reproductive health. Find out more at www.cookmedical.eu and for the latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.