Talent to Thrive: The Newsletter for Ireland's Medtech Sector - June 2025

In this issue
1. Thrive in 2025: Upcoming Course Highlights
1. Strategic Innovation for Senior Executives
2. Professional Mentor Training (EMCC)
3. Postgraduate Certificate in End-to-End Sterility Assurance (L9)

2. Industry News in Ireland
1. From Bench to Boardroom: The BioInnovate Symposium Spotlights Irish Medtech Skillnet Alumni Success
2. Dublin’s Mater Hospital Puts AI to Work for Patient Care
3. New Skillnet Ireland Report Highlights the Urgency of Upskilling for Irish Businesses
3. Irish Medtech Skillnet in the Spotlight
1. On the Road: Upcoming Events and Site Visits to our Industry Partners
4. Industry Insights - In Conversation with Marguerite O’Sullivan; Chair of the Irish Medtech Skillnet Steering Committee and Director of Learning & Development at Kenvue

1. De-risk, Develop and Scale your R&D with our Strategic Innovation for Senior Executives programme

Following a successful pilot in 2024, the ‘Strategic Innovation for Senior Executives’ programme is now re-open for bookings through Irish Medtech Skillnet, delivering a powerful blueprint for future-focused leaders investing in R&D and innovation.

Established from Stanford University’s globally recognised BioDesign methodology, this course is essential for C-suite and senior-level leaders. It offers an immersive, three-day programme that demystifies innovation strategy and translates it into a practical system for leading breakthrough solutions in complex, regulated environments. Whether you are driving next-gen medical devices, diagnostics, or digital health technologies, the programme equips executives with a systematic approach to identifying unmet needs, validating concepts, and aligning innovation strategy with commercial goals.

Delivered by an international faculty of seasoned BioDesign educators and medtech entrepreneurs, the programme introduces global best practices and challenges participants to think creatively while managing risk, resources, and regulation — the trifecta that defines success in today’s medtech landscape. “Industry leaders told us they needed tools to unlock innovation in a disciplined and repeatable way,” says Ann O’Connell, of Irish Medtech Skillnet, “and this programme answers that call — bringing the gold standard of innovation education to Ireland’s doorstep.” The programme also creates a high-calibre peer network of innovators, offering a rare opportunity to collaborate with like-minded senior executives tackling similar challenges across the medtech ecosystem.

Pilot participants from 2024 provided detailed feedback which was overwhelmingly positive:

For organisations committed to embedding innovation at the core of their culture, this programme offers more than training — it is a strategic investment in leadership capability. Spaces are limited, and early booking is strongly encouraged. Secure your spot now and position your leadership team at the forefront of strategic innovation. Explore the Programme.

2. Elevate Performance Through Mentorship: Book Professional Mentor Training (EMCC)

In any dynamic industry, effective mentorship is pivotal for cultivating talent and driving innovation. The Professional Mentor Training (EMCC) programme, developed by Irish Medtech Skillnet in collaboration with EDelia Group, is tailored for emerging leaders in management roles. Mentors are motivated to take this training by different needs as you’ll see below, but this comprehensive course equips all participants with the skills to mentor effectively, fostering personal and professional growth within their teams.

The programme offers experiential learning led by expert facilitators, personalised development and coaching, in an 11-week blended learning schedule designed to accommodate the demands of busy professionals.

Hear more from alumni of this programme by booking a place at our upcoming webinar on September 9th.

This Irish Medtech Skillnet programme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union.
By completing this programme, participants will be adept at applying mentoring skills to enhance the development of their mentees, and ready to step into leadership roles within your organisation. Learn more about it here.

3. Sterility Specialists Wanted: A Postgrad Certificate to Fill Medtech’s Skills Gap

With demand surging for sterility assurance roles across the life sciences and medtech sectors, this cutting-edge qualification aims to fill the void. The Postgraduate Certificate in End-to-End Sterility Assurance (L9), developed by Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Galway and the Irish Medtech Skillnet, is now open for enrolment.

The programme was shaped with experts from Irish Medtech’s Sterility Forum to respond directly to a critical talent need. From terminal sterilisation to global regulatory requirements, this Level 9 qualification delivers a comprehensive, practice-led education for professionals already working in or moving into sterility assurance roles.

Designed for life science and engineering graduates, and open to those with relevant Level 7 experience, the course provides a full academic year of part-time, blended learning. Online lectures are combined with hands-on workshops, case studies, and industry site visits to create a rich, real-world learning experience that accommodates working life. The cost is just €3,195, thanks to European Social Fund+ support via Irish Medtech Skillnet.

Modules include:

• Industrial Microbiology

• Cleanroom Technology & GMP

• Terminal Sterilisation (year-long)

• Biocompatibility, Quality & Regulatory Affairs

• Global Sterilisation Trends

Graduates will earn a 30 ECTS Level 9 Postgraduate Certificate, and are eligible to proceed for a second year to achieve their Master's (MSc in End-to-End Sterility Assurance), opening up further career advancement in one of medtech’s most specialised areas. Note that the Postgraduate Certificate in End-to-End Sterility Assurance programme is a mandatory prerequisite for students considering the Masters programme. As sterility standards evolve globally, professionals trained in next-gen assurance methods will be in high demand. This is the qualification that helps you stand out. Book now.

There’s lots more to avail of in 2025

Enrolment is now open for many more programmes on our website!

Our training programmes are subsidised by the Government of Ireland and the European Union, saving companies on standard course fees, with minimal barriers to access. Whether you are a start-up, scaling up, or a multinational, all Irish companies can access our funded training programmes with no paid membership required.

Irish Medtech Skillnet develops and delivers transformative, industry-led training solutions to help companies of all sizes in the medical technology and manufacturing sectors to grow and retain best-in-class talent, supporting the future success and competitiveness of medtech in Ireland. View our 2025 Programme Catalogue here.

From Bench to Boardroom: The BioInnovate Symposium Spotlights Irish Medtech Skillnet Alumni Success

More than 250 medtech innovators gathered on the University of Galway campus last month for the BioInnovate Ireland Annual Symposium, a flagship event for the specialist health technology innovation programme based in the west of Ireland.

This year’s theme “From Bench to Boardroom: Governance Strategies for Health Tech Leaders” covered everything from scaling smart to securing boardroom talent, delivering the message that great innovation needs great governance.

In partnership with the Ian Quinn Centre for Health Technology Innovation, the event drew entrepreneurs, clinicians, legal experts, and investors for a day of insights on navigating early-stage growth. Alumni companies were front and centre — sharing lessons from the front lines of medtech commercialisation, and demonstrating how BioDesign frameworks can be applied successfully. As Prof Martin O’Halloran, Director of BioInnovate Ireland, put it: “As a growing number of our alumni companies scale, the structures and practices they build now will define their long-term success. This symposium reflects our commitment to that next stage of growth.” You’ll find more details of the event here.

Notably, this year’s programme featured alumni from two Irish Medtech Skillnet’s programmes which are delivered by BioInnovate Ireland; BioInnovate 101: Essentials of Health Technology Innovation and Strategic Innovation for Senior Executives. Frank White of Medtronic, Caroline Higgins of Veryan Medical, and Sean Shanley of Boston Scientific shared valuable case studies and personal perspectives on the influence BioDesign principles have had across Ireland’s innovation landscape. From needs-led design to agile cross-functional innovation, these leaders highlighted the value of customer-centred thinking when it comes to derisking, developing and scaling health tech solutions. For Irish Medtech Skillnet, the event was another reminder of how valuable this training is—and how critical and beneficial strategic skills development will be in future.

Feedback from past participants in 2024 reinforced this:

For organisations committed to placing innovation at the core of their culture, the upcoming ‘Strategic Innovation for Senior Executives’ programme (October 2025) is a sound investment in leadership capability. Spaces are limited, and early booking is strongly encouraged. Explore the Programme.

Dublin’s Mater Hospital Puts AI to Work for Patient Care

The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital has officially launched its new Centre for AI and Digital Health, placing AI at the heart of its clinical innovation agenda. Based at the Pillar Centre for Transformative Healthcare, the hub will coordinate AI adoption across departments and lead collaborative research to speed up diagnostics, improve patient outcomes, and streamline hospital workflows.

AI is already making a tangible impact at the Mater. The radiology team introduced AI in 2023 to detect strokes and fractures, boasting accuracy rates above 90pc. Now, the cardiology department is preparing to pilot a tool to support early heart attack diagnosis—one that could double the number of patients who receive rapid, life-saving treatment. In cases where traditional ECGs fail to show clear signs, the new tool could help identify a blocked artery in up to 90pc of patients—potentially cutting critical treatment delays.

AI is also being explored to understand the causes of sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS), supporting risk identification for affected families. Paul Banahan, Ireland’s first dedicated AI researcher in a clinical setting, has driven several pioneering projects at the Mater, including a generative AI model that converts CT to synthetic MRI to improve emergency spinal care. His PhD at UCD explores similar models for brain imaging and stroke prediction.

With robust ethics protocols and a commitment to patient safety, the Mater is clear-eyed about AI’s role: support, not replace. “It’s an additional tool,” said Galvin. “The doctor still makes the call.”

Josephine Ryan Leacy, CEO, emphasised the centre’s guiding principle: “AI must deliver real clinical benefit—safely, transparently, and ethically.” Read more about the new centre here.

New Skillnet Ireland Report Highlights the Urgency of Upskilling for Irish Businesses

The future of work is digital, green—and rapidly evolving. That was the clear message as Minister Marian Harkin TD launched the new Ireland’s Talent Landscape 2025 report, authored by Ipsos B&A, based on new research to identify the skills challenges facing Irish businesses. The report reveals strong demand for upskilling in digital and sustainability skills, with 47% of businesses reporting a need for digital training within the next two to three years. A further 26% anticipate the need for sustainability-focused upskilling.

Skillnet Ireland CEO Mark Jordan said “Irish businesses are ambitious and resilient—but staying competitive requires continuous investment in talent.”

Top skills in demand include:

• Digital: The Harnessing Digital Strategy sets a goal for Ireland to become a digital leader both within Europe, and globally. The framework includes the aim of 90% of SMEs achieving basic digital intensity and 75% utilising AI, cloud computing and big data by 2030. For Irish businesses, the digital transition is both an opportunity and a challenge, requiring significant investment in technology and workforce upskilling. 79% of businesses surveyed anticipate the need for workforce digital upskilling within the next 2 – 3 years.

• AI: 77% of businesses do not currently include AI in their business strategy, but 47% said they aim to focus on AI in their business strategy in the next one to two years. Access to the required AI and data skills (73%) is the greatest reported barrier to implementing AI for Irish business.

• Sustainability: 33% of business leaders reported that over 50% of their workforce will need climate action or sustainability supports in the future.

The report strengthens Skillnet’s strategic commitment to driving economic resilience through talent development, and can be read in full report at: skillnetireland.ie/insights

Irish Medtech Skillnet in the SpotlightIrish Medtech Skillnet on the Road
Promoting our transformative training solutions “on the road” is all in a day’s work for our team! These events keep us close to our industry audience and drive awareness of our industry-led, funded programmes which attendees can avail of.

If you’re planning an event or career day to support continuing professional development for your employees, we would love to have a stand there! We can also participate in industry events as speakers or panel participants. Here’s how our 2025 Tour schedule is shaping up. Please get in touch if we can add your event to the list.

• We will be attending Irish Medtech’s QARA Forum on 10 July in Radisson Blu, Limerick.
• We will be hosting an informational webinar on our Professional Mentor Training on 9 September at 10am, ahead of our September intake.
• We will be exhibiting at Medical Technology Ireland on 24-25 September 2025 at the Galway Racecourse.
• We will be sponsoring Irish Medtech’s Medtech Rising on Thursday, 4 December 2025, in the Galmont Hotel, Galway.



Industry Insights: An interview with Marguerite O’Sullivan
Marguerite O’Sullivan has over 20 years of experience in Johnson & Johnson & Kenvue holding roles in Operations, Business Excellence, Lean, Engineering, Science & Technology. She is a strategically focused achiever, with a passion for developing and implementing solutions through people.

Marguerite O’Sullivan is currently the Learning and Development Leader at Kenvue. She works to build organisational capability and STEM talent by leveraging her strategic abilities to influence, drive change, and effec

tively communicate internally and externally.

Marguerite is very committed to promoting equity in our industry. She co-founded the STEM Academy to promote stem in primary schools, secondary schools, and universities across Munster. She is an ambassador for females working in STEM and set up Reignite Programme to bring females back to the workplace after career breaks. She believes in increasing the focus on equity across all businesses. She wants to continue supporting females' development in areas of personal and professional development. She is co-author of textbook ‘Engineering in the World’ for secondary school students. She is the 2025 chair for Irish Medtech Skillnet, where she will further her work in driving equity and skills development within the medtech sector.

Marguerite received her undergraduate degree from Hertfordshire University and her Master of Science in Nutrition from UCC, and MSC in Supply Chain from DIT.

5. Marguerite, your career spans learning, advocacy, and leadership. Can you share a little about your current role at Kenvue and how your background as a STEM mentor and ambassador shapes your approach to learning and development in a corporate setting?

In my current role as Director of Learning and Development at Kenvue, I focus on enhancing our organizational capabilities and fostering a culture of continuous learning. My background as a STEM mentor and ambassador deeply influences my approach. I believe that creating a culture of mentorship and ongoing learning is crucial for empowering our workforce. Actively engaging with emerging talent and supporting their development allows me to create pathways for their success.

My journey through various roles, from manufacturing to engineering in leadership capacities, has given me valuable insights into the industry's learning needs and pain points.

It has been very interesting learning from the research we do as part of Irish Medtech Skillnet in terms of understanding future needs also we recently launched the ‘Talent to Thrive’ Future Skills Report, and here we see the need for a diverse and skilled workforce in the Medtech sector and the crucial skills for the future which inform the work of the Irish Medtech Skillnet offerings for the Medtech industry.

6. You are a co-founder of STEM Southwest and the Cork Life Science Group, and current Chair of the Irish Medtech Skillnet Steering Committee. How have these collaborations between industry and education influenced your approach to future skills development in the medtech and life sciences sectors?

Being a co-founder of STEM Southwest and the Cork Life Science Group has significantly shaped my perspective on future skills development. These collaborations between industry and education allow me to bring insights to align our training programs with the evolving needs of the Medtech and life sciences sectors. By working closely with educational institutions, we can ensure that our workforce is equipped with the relevant skills and knowledge to meet the demands of the industry, creating a more robust talent pipeline.

The relationship we build with education is invaluable; we need to understand what’s happening in educational settings and influence it to ensure that curricula connect with careers and roles in industry. The Irish Medtech Skillnet plays a fundamental role in this by facilitating research and training initiatives that align with industry needs, as noted in the ‘Talent to Thrive’ Future Skills report and the more recent ‘Empowering Women in STEM’ gender report. This ensures we are preparing a skilled workforce that can adapt to future challenges.

7. As a published author of a STEM textbook and advocate for inclusive education, how do you see formal learning evolving in a world that increasingly values digital skills, micro-credentials, and hands-on experience?

I recently published ‘Engineering in the World’, a textbook for TY Students. During the writing of this book, I really gained additional insights into the different modalities of learning and the need to lean into digital skills development.

8. Kenvue places a strong focus on people’s development. What does a future-focused learning strategy look like for a company operating at the intersection of health, science, and innovation and how do you bring that to life through a real culture of learning? Are there any initiatives you’ve led at Kenvue or elsewhere that reflect this in action?

A future-focused learning strategy involves creating an ecosystem where learning is integrated into daily operations and is aligned with the strategic goals of the organisation. Our initiatives focus on learning in the flow of work within a skills-based organisation. Our learning programmes target specific skills gaps with customised programmes to meet these learning needs. Our programmes reflect this by focusing on both technical and soft skills through mentorship and cross-functional projects. This approach not only prepares our current leaders, but also cultivates a pipeline of diverse talent that reflects the findings of the ‘Empowering Women in STEM’ study, which highlighted the need for targeted support for women in technical and leadership roles. By fostering a culture that values continuous development and inclusivity, we can drive meaningful change in our organisation and beyond.

9. The “for industry, by industry” model is fundamental to the Irish Medtech Skillnet strategy. As Steering Committee Chair, what value have you observed in the industry-led training development, and what advice would you give companies to leverage this model to support their work to close skill gaps and build a future-ready workforce?

The “for industry, by industry” model is vital for the Irish Medtech Skillnet. And I’ve observed that industry-led training and development ensures that the skills being taught are directly relevant to the current and future needs of organisations. My advice to companies looking to leverage this model is to actively engage in the Skillnet initiatives, share their specific challenges, and collaborate with the Skillnet to devise targeted solutions. By doing so, we can collectively close skill gaps and build a workforce that is ready to tackle the challenges ahead.

10. What more do you think can be done nationally to connect the efforts of companies and organisations to initiatives such as STEM South West and others, to promote careers in medtech and build a more diverse talent pipeline? How can we open more inclusive pathways into leadership, particularly for women in STEM?

To further connect national efforts and promote careers in Medtech, we must foster stronger partnerships between industry players, educational institutions, and policymakers. Initiatives like STEM Southwest are crucial, but we also need to focus on outreach programs that highlight diverse career pathways in Medtech.

To create more inclusive pathways into leadership roles, especially for women in STEM, we should develop targeted mentorship programs, sponsorship opportunities, and leadership training that address the unique challenges women face in advancing their careers. The ‘Empowering Women in STEM’ study underscores the barriers women encounter when seeking leadership roles, suggesting that targeted mentorship and sponsorship programmes are essential. By creating supportive networks and opportunities for women, we can help break down barriers, promote a more equitable workplace, and enrich our talent pipeline.

11. Finally, Marguerite, with your deep involvement across grassroots mentoring and strategic leadership, what legacy do you hope to leave in the world of learning and STEM?

I hope to leave a legacy that emphasises the importance of equity, inclusion, and empowerment in learning and STEM. By championing initiatives that support women and underrepresented groups in STEM, I aim to inspire future generations to pursue careers in these fields. My goal is to contribute to a more diverse and innovative workforce that reflects our society. This legacy will be defined by the positive changes we make in our workplaces and in education systems, ensuring that everyone has access to the opportunities they deserve.

Thank you for the opportunity to discuss these important themes and share my insights! I am passionate about the future of the Medtech industry and the role we can play in shaping a skilled, diverse workforce. By investing in our people and fostering collaboration across sectors, we can ensure that Ireland remains a leader in Medtech innovation.

Thank you for joining us in this edition of Talent to Thrive, the monthly newsletter updates from Irish Medtech Skillnet for Ireland’s Medtech Sector! We look forward to continuing our journey of learning and innovation together in future and we plan to bring you these updates regularly.

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