Stryker unveiled plans to roll out its Training Centre of Excellence model to sites across Ireland, beginning with its Limerick facility. The company expects the model will expand to all its facilities across Ireland by the end of the year.

The three-year training initiative was developed with support from the Irish government through IDA Ireland. It’s designed to endow Stryker employees with the necessary agility and skills to thrive in a work environment characterized by digital innovation, advanced automation, and sustainability.

Once the extension is finished, Stryker employees across its eight Irish sites will have upskilling and reskilling programs. The company’s Training Centre of Excellence model ensures employees are ready for change. The centers provide technical and functional training, including modules on lean manufacturing, digitalization, sustainability practices, and the practical application of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) in product development and operations.

IDA Ireland’s minister for enterprise, tourism, and employment Peter Burke TD said Stryker’s announcement is a significant milestone for workforce development in Ireland. He also said the expansion to Limerick is a powerful endorsement for the region’s talent and strategic important to the life sciences sector.

“This initiative will empower employees with future-ready skills in areas such as digitalization, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing, ensuring Ireland remains at the forefront of global MedTech innovation,” Burke told the press. “This is not just an investment in facilities, it is an investment in people and in Ireland’s future as a global leader in healthcare technology.”

The company’s Training Centre of Excellent at the Tullagreen campus launched in December 2024. This initative also aligns with Ireland’s Industry 4.0 Strategy, National AI Strategy, and National Skills Strategy.

“Making the Training Centre of Excellence model available to our sites around Ireland is a significant milestone on our journey to build a future-focused, agile workforce,” said Conor Tolan, VP of manufacturing for Joint Replacement at Stryker. “These initiatives ensure that our teams are equipped with the tools and skills needed to help us succeed in a rapidly changing industry. The upskilling of teams across our sites reflects Stryker’s long-standing focus on investing in people and continuous learning. By building a future-ready workforce, we can remain at the forefront of innovation and manufacturing excellence. With the support of IDA Ireland, we’re proud to lead the way in workforce transformation and to provide unique opportunities for growth, leadership, and to make a difference.”

Stryker began its presence in Ireland in 1998 with an initial team of 20 employees. Over the past two and a half decades, the company’s Irish operations evolved and include five manufacturing facilities and three innovation centers at sites in Cork (Anngrove, Macroom, Model Farm Road, Springhill and Tullagreen) and Limerick.

Acquired in 1998, Stryker’s Limerick facility manufactures devices for joint replacements, CMF, Spine and T&E across knees, oncology and bone cement portfolios.