LEADING Medtech Innovation
I r e l a n d ’s c o l l a b o r a t i v e educational environment is helping to shape and deliver talent, says Stryker Senior Director of HR for Ireland, Mairead Hogan.
TOP David Tallon, Vice President of Research and Development, Stryker Neurosurgical ABOVE Stryker Tullagreen, Cork RIGHT Stryker Instruments Innovation Centre
“The R&D leads here in Ireland all have networks in the universities, they are on advisory boards for curriculum because relationships with academics is key to influencing those curricula, and Stryker does a good job across all the different sectors that we are in within Ireland.” When considering the current talent availability, Ireland offers more than just its own pool, he points out. “We are tapping into, not just the market in Ireland, but the markets within Ireland. Stryker sites are spread around the country and there are very strong universities in Cork, Belfast, Dublin and Limerick. One of the benefits of being a member of the EU is the free movement of people, giving us access to talent in Europe. Our hiring is very multicultural and diverse and we have all nationalities in the Innovation Centre. We also have a really strong organic programme for developing our own lead talent internally. We’re in a good place.”
Are Ireland’s educational bodies offering the candidates, courses and collaboration that Stryker needs? Digitisation is advancing our industry in new and unanticipated ways. New technologies are transforming the way we view manufacturing and development of products. They are also paving the way for a new set of skills and challenging they way we view reality. These changes result in the move from traditional skills to the increased need for skills in STEM background subjects and ICT technology. Preparing now for tomorrow’s economy is never easy. We partner very closely with the educational bodies to discuss needs and develop courses which will help develop our existing and future employees. We collaborate with organisations to encourage young students to enter into STEM subjects and help identify career paths which they may not have thought of or chosen. Is Ireland offering, attracting and retaining the broad range of roles required for a world-leading company? Ireland is experiencing a shortage of tech talent, and part of this can be attributed to students not taking up STEM-related subjects. Government focus and increase in capital spending over the next decade is welcome news, especially for companies in Ireland who require a healthy pipeline of talent. Ireland’s low unemployment rate has not hampered our efforts in developing and attracting talent. Ireland has fast become one of the hot spots for Europe and our ability to attract talent from around the globe has continued to enhance our market. The proximity to Europe and having international airports allows for good commuter options and ability to easily travel. How does Ireland align with Strykers values? Stryker has four key values; Integrity, Accountability, People and Performance. These are the cornerstones of our culture and a key ingredient in Stryker’s success. Ireland as a country displays these values in the way its people embrace innovation and technological change. Performance and accountability is very evident in the pace and adaptation of technological change.
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