Before applying to this apprenticeship, please check that you meet all entry requirements. 

The Manufacturing Engineer Apprenticeship is open to school leavers, production operators and technicians who want to train or retrain in the manufacturing sector and progress along the NFQ to level 7 with any one of the 450+ Medtech companies currently established in Ireland.

  Applicants must be in employment in a SOLAS      registered company to enrol in this programme.

Educational Requirements

  Leaving Certificate (or equivalent) Grade O6 at ordinary level in 5 subjects, two of which must be Maths and a language (English or Irish).

  250 CAO points.

  In the case of a mature student (over 23 years) an industry interview is required, click here for details.  

Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) as detailed below is available to gain advanced entry into years 2 and 3.

Year 1 Entry Requirements:

  CAO Applicants: Must have a minimum of 160 points and a Pass (Grade O6 or higher) in at least five Leaving Certificate subjects. These must include Mathematics and a language (either English or Irish).

X Leaving Certificate Applied is NOT accepted.

  QQI-FET Applicants: Must hold a relevant (related) QQI-FET Level 5 or Level 6 award, along with Leaving Certificate Mathematics.

  Mature Applicants: Must be aged 23 or older. A Leaving Certificate is not required, but candidates must successfully complete an interview.

Year 2 Advanced Entry:

  Applicants must have completed the first year of a related engineering programme and have at least one year of relevant industry experience.

  Note: Students accepted into Year 2 through advanced entry must enrol for a minimum of two years in the programme.

Year 3 Advanced Entry:

  Suitable for those holding a related Higher Certificate in Manufacturing Engineering (apprenticeship).

  Related Higher Certificate in Engineering (Level 6) plus two years relevant industry experience. 

In advance of completing an application for the Manufacturing Engineer Apprenticeship it is important to understand the commitment you will need to provide to this programme.

The Bachelor in Manufacturing Engineering is a three-year programme for a QQI Level 7 qualification with an approved employer, with 70% of the time spent on the job and the remaining 30% spent in an allocated course in University.

Programme Overview

The training is run by the following institutions:

• Atlantic Technological University Galway
• Atlantic Technological University Sligo 
• Technological University of the Shannon: Midwest (Limerick),
• Munster Technological University Cork,
• Dundalk Institute of Technology.

An enquiry or application for the manufacturing engineering apprenticeship can be made on the Manufacturing Apprenticeship website.

An interest in working and learning in the MedTech and Engineering Sector is the basic requirement.

Knowledge

Core knowledge listed:

• Statistical Process control
• Design For Manufacture
• Machine Design
• Quality Management
• Quality management systems within a regulated environment (GMP)
• Raw materials, production processes, costs, and other techniques for maximising the effective manufacture of Medical Device Products
• Root Cause Analysis, Problem Solving, Implementing corrective and preventive Actions
• Continuous Improvement in Quality and Manufacturing (Lean Six Sigma)
• Mechanics and Properties of Materials
• Mechanics and Dynamics of Machines
• Industrial Automation
• Engineering Science
• Electrical Science
• Mechanical Drawing Interpretation
• Project management
• Cleanroom operations
• Metrology

Skills

Specialist Skills:

• Develop solutions to a variety of problems of moderate scope and complexity using basic engineering principles, theories and concepts
• Six Sigma Principles to drive data driven process improvement projects
• Principles and methodologies of project management and quality management to their specialist discipline
• Lead and communicate with employees to determine and deliver specific project goals and objectives
• Processes and tooling used in relation to polymer processing, in particular injection moulding and extrusion
• Essentials of spreadsheet and database technologies in order to design an effective event-based software application to address basic engineering and production requirements
• Process Planning (PP),Computer Aided Process Planning (CAPP) and capacity planning
• Electrical, electronic and mechanical sensors signal-conditioning and digital interfacing in engineering systems
• Advanced manufacturing processes through the innovative application of technologies, processes and methods to product design and production
• Kaizen improvement philosophy and methodology for process and systems improvement
• Comply with the appropriate industry regulatory framework 

Soft Skills:

• Work Autonomously
• Work as part of a team and to lead a team through a technical project where necessary
• Good time management skills
• Deliver projects on time, within budget while meeting business expectations
• Engage in creative problem solving and work as an effective group member
• Appraise appropriate and available information sources applicable to particular contexts
• Ability in academic writing and referencing sources of information
• Basic principles of critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills

Competencies

Core competences and behaviours listed: eg: Honesty and integrity, Initiative, Personal commitment

• Ethics
• Communications
• Adaptability
• Teamwork
• Ability to work independently
• Decision making
• Problem solving
• Critical thinking
• Project management
• Report Writing
• Health, Safety and Environmental Awareness
• The ability for Continuous Professional Development

A Manufacturing Engineer facilitates efficient operations within the production area to optimise existing processes, implement new processes, and to ensure that production goals are met.

Role of a Manufacturing Engineer

• Ensures efficient and smooth production operations
• Optimises existing processes and implements new ones
• Helps meet production targets and performance goals
• Monitors machines, equipment, and tools for performance issues
• Troubleshoots problems causing defects, low yields, or quality issues
• Works within a highly regulated and complex manufacturing environment
• Uses core engineering principles to analyse and solve problems
• Leads technical activities to improve products or processes
• Supports company goals through innovation and process enhancement
• Applies project management methods to oversee production and design projects
• Uses Kaizen and continuous improvement techniques to optimise systems and workflows

View the National Occupational Profile here.    

View the Apprenticeship Code of Practice for Employers and Apprentices here.     

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There are many opportunities across the Medical Devices sector in Plastics and Engineering companies for Manufacturing Engineers.

If you're currently employed, there are several options available to support both your educational and career progression.

• You may be eligible for promotion within your current company.
• With your existing qualifications and experience, you could apply for more senior roles in other companies.
• You might also consider starting your own business, using the skills and knowledge you've already gained.

Lifelong Learning
Education is a lifelong journey. No matter your age, you can always choose to upskill or retrain to stay competitive and open up new opportunities.

As a Level 7 engineering graduate, you can:

• Progress to Level 8 programmes in areas such as manufacturing, engineering, quality, or design—often supported by your employer’s educational funding.
• Apply for roles in manufacturing, engineering, or quality assurance—both within your current organisation and across companies in sectors like medical technology and engineering.

 Useful links to enterprise supports 

• Springboard & conversion courses      
• Skillnet Sector learning network courses    
• Post Graduate options
• Higher Education Research & Innovation

Enterprise and Self-Employment Support:

On completion of the apprenticeship you may decide to set up your own business. The links below might be useful to support you:

• Local Enterprise Offices     For profit Local enterprise support
• Local Area partnerships     For profit enterprise support
• Social entrepreneurs    : Not-for-profit enterprise support
• Franchising    : Developing your business under an established franchise

To become an apprentice in Ireland you must be hired by an employer. Apprenticeship employers are formally approved by SOLAS     in advance of employing apprentices. Apprentices get a formal contract of employment as part of their apprenticeship.

Employment

• Candidate must secure employment with SOLAS-approved employer. 
  The candidate applies directly to the SOLAS-approved employer and is selected using the employer’s standard recruitment process.
• Employer requests Apprentice Approval from SOLAS.
  If successful, SOLAS will register the student and the student will sign a contract.
• Consortium will then be informed by the SOLAS Apprenticeship Officer, and it will compile a viable list of candidates for the appropriate regional academic partner.

To find an apprenticeship, you can search apprenticeship vacancies and a list of currently approved apprentice employers on the Apprenticeship Jobs & Employers Portal.     
You can search for vacancies by location, and employers in each apprenticeship.

View apprenticeship.ie to see a current list of apprenticeship employers by apprenticeship programme and by country/region.    

This apprenticeship is managed by the Irish Medtech Association. If you are interested in a Manufacturing Engineering Apprenticeship you should contact the Irish Medtech Association via the contact details below.

View the Manufacturing Engineering Apprenticeship Brochure here for more details on eligibility. 

Register your interest at www.manufacturingapprenticeships.ie

Further information is also available from the industry lead for this apprenticeship:

Irish Medtech Association
IBEC
84-86 Lower Baggot Street
Dublin 2

Tel: +353 1 605 1727
Email: [email protected]
Web: manufacturingapprenticeships.ie
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/manufacturing-apprenticeships

Finding an Employer

Finding an employer or registering your interest with an official Coordinating Provider is one of the first things you need to do to start an apprenticeship.

To find an apprenticeship and secure an apprenticeship work contract you can search apprenticeship vacancies on the Apprenticeship Jobs Portal . You can search for vacancies by location and by apprenticeship type.

Your local Education and Training Board may also hold details of employers seeking to employ an apprentice.

You should also directly connect with local employers who might be interested in taking on an apprentice. It is a great idea to get a part time job with a local employer who might be more inclined to take you on as an apprentice following a successful work experience placement or a part time job contract.

Further information about this apprenticeship may be available from the following organisations on this website:

Organisations supporting this apprenticeship

Where we know of supporting organisations we list these below:

Online Job Sites

Here are some direct links to employment websites that frequently list apprenticeship vacancies.

Note: These websites may include vacancies that are not QQI accredited Apprenticeships.