by Gerard Creaner (President, GetReskilled) I’m absolutely delighted to announce that GetReskilled and Technological University Dublin finished 2nd in our category at the European Commission Vocational Education Training (VET) Excellence Awards 2019. Just to be recognised at a European level is a real honour. I’m really proud to be bringing home [...]
How to Get into the Pharma Industry With no Experience?
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: April 2025 How Do I Get a Job in Pharma With No Industry Experience? Contents You need to aim for the right jobs Know what the job advert is REALLY telling you When to pick up the phone Tips [...]
Working In Ireland’s BioPharma/MedTech Industry? Now’s the Time to Negotiate
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: April 2022 Ireland’s BioPharma/MedTech manufacturing industry is extremely strong right now. Arguably, the strongest it has ever been. All the signs of continued growth are extremely positive, just check out the graph above showing steadily rising job vacancy numbers since 2015. With the [...]
Applying for jobs but it’s just “not working”? Here are 10 possible reasons why
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: April 2022 Image: cnbc 10 Reasons Why Your Job Hunt Might Not Be Working Jump to section Big companies take their time There were lots of candidates / someone better qualified You aren’t applying [...]
Top Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Companies in Waterford
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: January 2025 Waterford’s Pharma Industry at a Glance Over 4,600 people are directly employed by Pharmaceutical and Medical Device companies in Waterford. Many more are employed indirectly. More than 10 companies have manufacturing sites. BTW, if you are [...]
5 Key Takeaways from NIBRT’s “Careers in Biopharma” Event
By: Gerard Creaner and Claire Wilson. Logo: NIBRT We attended NIBRT’s annual Careers in Biopharma event in Dublin early this year with over 15 top pharmaceutical companies and 500+ prospective employees This is the number 1 pharma careers fair in Ireland. The day consisted of presentations [...]
Top Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Companies in Limerick
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: January 2025 Limerick's Pharma Industry at a Glance Almost 6,000 people directly employed by Pharmaceutical and Medical Device companies in Limerick. Many more are employed indirectly. Limerick consistently ranks in the top 3 counties for available Pharmaceutical and Medical Device jobs in [...]
How to Save Money with SOPs that Stand the Test of Time
By: Dr. Joe Brady and Gerry Creaner B.Chem Eng. The pharmaceutical industry invests a significant amount of time and money every year writing and updating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). But it doesn’t appear to be having an impact on the number of 483’s issued by the [...]
What Types of Jobs and Careers are there in the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Industry
By: Donagh Fitzgerald and Claire Wilson. Last Updated: July 2024 Image: Cambridge Clinical Laboratories There are a huge variety of job roles available from laboratory-based research and development, clinical trials, regulatory affairs, drug safety, manufacturing, engineering, quality assurance, quality control, and validation all the way [...]
The Best Pharma Companies in Ireland… by their Employees (2025)
By: Donagh Fitzgerald and Claire Wilson. Last Updated: Feb 2025 GET UPDATES What are the best pharma companies to work for? (according to their employees) There are several metrics you can use to decide the “best” company. What employees say should definitely be considered. We’ve taken employee submitted [...]
Scotland’s Booming Pharmaceutical Industry
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: January 2025 Photo: Global Manufacturing Scotland's Pharma Industry at a Glance Over 5,600 people directly employed by Pharmaceutical Companies in Scotland The industry exports over £575 million worth of manufactured goods Salaries per head are around £11,000 higher than the Scottish average [...]
Take a look inside Ireland’s Pharma plants
Due to the strict rules and regulations of the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, you typically can’t just take a tour of the manufacturing plants. But whether you’re preparing for an interview or you’re just interested to see what the inside of a pharma manufacturing plant actually looks like, we’ve got the next best thing…
Top Medical Device & Pharmaceutical Companies in Galway
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: February 2025 Galway's MedTech Industry at a Glance Over 11,700 people directly employed in Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Manufacturing Home to manufacturing sites for 3Â of the world's top 15Â medical device companies More than 25 companies have manufacturing sites in the county [...]
Top 10 Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Companies in the UK
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: August 2023 The United Kingdom is a world-renowned leader in pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing. These industries are well-developed and growing strongly throughout the country. At present, 7 of the Top Pharmaceutical Companies in the World have a manufacturing presence in the UK [...]
2018 Irish Pharma Year in Review
What Was New in 2018? Several new facilities opened across Ireland in 2018, including... Agilent On November 16th, Agilent officially opened its new purpose-built R&D extension within its Little Island, Cork site. This new facility will allow both cell analysis and biosensor development. The opening also marked the company's integration of the newly [...]
GetReskilled WINS at the Pharma Industry Awards 2018
Please note that DIT has changed its name to Technological University Dublin. We are thrilled to announce that GetReskilled and DIT have been awarded the Pharma Education & Training Award at the Pharma Industry Awards 2018! Our joint programme, the BSc in the Manufacture of Medicinal Products was announced as the category [...]
Pharmaceutical and Med Device Companies in Dublin
By: Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: January 2025 At a Glance Over 10,500 people directly employed in Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Manufacturing Home to manufacturing sites for four of the world's top 15 pharmaceutical companies More than 33 companies have manufacturing sites Many more have R&D, corporate and business [...]
Graduation Day 2018 (…and could you be next?)
by Gerard Creaner (President, GetReskilled) It’s a very happy day here at GetReskilled. As company President, I’m absolutely THRILLED to announce the graduation of 14 students… and share some photos from the event! On Saturday 13th October 2018 - in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin - 14 students were awarded a BSc in [...]
What is a Manufacturing Technician and what do they do?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald BEng and Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: July 2024 Manufacturing Technicians set up, run and monitor (non-chemical or non-biochemical) manufacturing processes to transform individual parts, sub-assemblies, and materials using machining, cutting, assembling, 3D printing, bolting, welding, forging, etc into distinct products (cars, phones, TVs, [...]
Top Pharmaceutical Companies in Cork in 2025
By: Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: January 2025 Cork's Pharma Industry at a Glance Over 14,100 are people directly employed by Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Manufacturing Companies in Cork - many more are employed indirectly Home to seven of the world's top 15 pharmaceutical companies At [...]
From Semiconductor to Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: April 2022 Student Profile - Pat O’Loughlin Job Before: Lead Maintenance Technician (Semi-Conductor Manufacturing) Courses Taken: eBioPharmaChem Job Now: Process Technician (Pharma) "Take it on with a view to not just completing it and getting a result... There’s a [...]
From the Food Industry to a Production Technician in the Medical Device Manufacturing Industry
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: April 2022 Student Profile - Jason Cummins Job Before: Food Industry Courses Taken: eBioPharmaChem Job Now: Production Technician (Medical Device) “It seems to be a booming industry… it’s absolutely worthwhile investing a little bit of your own down time [...]
Validation – A Career Move to Tell Your Friends About
By: Donagh Fitzgerald and Claire Wilson. Last Updated: October 2024 Student Profile - Colin Lane Job Before: Manufacturing Operator (Pharma/Med Device) Courses Taken: Certificate in Validation Job Now: Validation Engineer “I would say to anybody out there, if you’re thinking about doing the validation [...]
Winner – Best Online Learning Experience 2018
We’re absolutely thrilled to announce that GetReskilled and Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) were awarded the title of Best Online Learning Experience 2018 at The Education Awards 2018! On Thursday 19 April 2018 at the Ballsbridge Hotel in Dublin, attendees from across the education sector gathered to hear the results and reflect on [...]
From a Professional Painter to Product Builder (Medical Devices)
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: April 2022 Student Profile - Regina McNamara Job Before: Professional Painter Courses Taken: eBioPharmaChem; eValidation Job Now: Product Builder (Medical Device) “I think it’s a good career to be in. The industry’s definitely buoyant at the moment. I just [...]
What is an Instrumentation Engineer? What Do They do?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald BEng and Claire Wilson BSc.. Last Updated: July 2024 Instrumentation Engineers are responsible for planning, installing, monitoring and maintaining control systems and machinery within manufacturing environments. They typically work with control processes that use sensors to provide feedback. As a result, that can also [...]
What is a Biochemist and what to they do?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald B.Prod Eng and Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: July 2024 Biochemists are typically lab-based professionals who study and explore the chemical processes occurring within living things. They are employed across a wide range of industries and within academia. Many Biochemists are employed within research but [...]
List of 195 Pharmaceutical & Med Device Companies in the UK
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: January 2024 Check out this pharmaceutical and medical device company career page directory to help you with your job hunt. It includes over 195 links to: Multinational & Local Companies Companies Without Career Pages Engineering Consultancies Recruitment Companies Contract Services Job Websites Relevant LinkedIn Groups [...]
What is a Microbiologist and what do they do?
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: April 2024 What is a Microbiologist? A Microbiologist is a scientific professional who studies microorganisms. They play a key role in pharmaceutical or medical device manufacturing by testing to monitor levels of microbial contamination at all stages of the manufacturing process. [...]
What is a Facilities Engineer and what do they do?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald B.Prod Eng and Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: July 2024 Image: GSK Facilities Engineers work in a number of indoor environments including manufacturing facilities, power stations, hospitals, and offices. They can have an extremely broad remit covering the plant maintenance or infrastructure of the [...]
Documentation Specialist: Role, Responsibilities & Career Path
By: Donagh Fitzgerald B.Prod Eng and Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: July 2024 What is a Documentation Specialist? A Documentation Specialist is responsible for managing, maintaining, and optimizing a company's documentation processes, ensuring compliance with industry regulations. In highly regulated industries like pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices, [...]
What is a Manufacturing Engineer and How Can I Become One?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald BEng and Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: July 2024 Photo: Sandra Goettisheim, KIT Manufacturing Engineers design, implement and optimise (non-chemical or non-biochemical) manufacturing systems, particularly machining and assembly processes to turn individual parts, sub-assemblies, and raw materials into finished distinct products (cars, phones, [...]
What is a Calibration Technician and what do they do?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald B.Prod Eng and Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: July 2024 A Calibration Technician is responsible for the calibration, routine inspection, testing, maintenance and repair of instruments, meters, gauges and other testing and measuring equipment. The goal of a Calibration Technician is to ensure the accuracy [...]
What is a Production Supervisor and How Can I Become One?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald and Claire Wilson. Last Updated: July 2024 Production Supervisors are directly responsible for overseeing and organizing the equipment, staff, and processes on a production floor. They will oversee scheduling and routine production activities as well as acting as the first line of support for [...]
How do I Apply on Springboard for a Course?
What Is Springboard? The Springboard+ initiative in higher education offers free courses at certificate, degree, and master's levels in areas with identified employment opportunities in the Irish economy. It is co-funded by the Irish government and the European Union. The aim is to help people transition into industries with significant employment [...]
7 Job Hunting Mistakes People Make When Changing Careers
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: April 2022 One Of The Biggest Challenges With Career Change Job Hunting... ... is that everyone thinks they already know what they're doing. Because who doesn't know how to write a CV, right? Firstly, everyone thinks they know how to write [...]
What Challenges Will I Face Finding A Job?
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: April 2022 One concern we often hear from people considering a move into pharmaceutical or medical device manufacturing is not knowing how difficult will it be to get a job. Of course answering that is very difficult since it will depend on [...]
What Practical Help Will You Give Me To Find A Job?
“Will I definitely get a job?” is one of the most common questions we get asked. First up, let us be clear, we won’t find you a job, an internship or a work placement. What we WILL do is give you all the training you need to be job ready. And we [...]
How Long Will a Successful Career Change to Pharma Manufacturing Take?
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: April 2022 Before we take a closer look at exactly how long a career change into pharmaceutical manufacturing will take you, you might want to check out our article on the minimum requirements needed to make this change, to see if you [...]
What Types of Careers are there in the Pharmaceutical Industry?
By: Claire Wilson and Donagh Fitzgerald. Last Updated: July 2024 There are a huge variety of careers available in the pharmaceutical industry from laboratory-based research and development, clinical trials, regulatory affairs, manufacturing, engineering, quality assurance, quality control, validation all the way through to marketing, sales and distribution. [...]
What Technology And Skills Do I Need For An Online Course?
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: January 2024 First up let’s take a look at the technical set up you will need to be able to complete this course. As you’ll see, the requirements are basic: Laptop or Desktop Computer - you need to be able to watch [...]
How to Make a Successful Return to Education?
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: January 2024 Whether it’s been 5 years or 35 years since you were last in education, our advice remains the same. Here are our 9 top tips to ensure a successful return to education... 1. Find (and keep!) your motivation It’s important [...]
What Are The Biggest Challenges of Online Courses?
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: January 2024 There’s no doubt that studying online is a very different experience to studying in a classroom setting. Online learning brings significant benefits… You can study at a time that suits you You can vary your study schedule each week to [...]
What Support Do I Get When I Take Your Online Courses?
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: April 2022 Some people can worry that studying online means they’ll be left by themselves to struggle on through their course. This couldn’t be further from the truth. We have a great support network that each and every trainee is welcomed into. [...]
Certificate in eBioPharmaChem – Direct Answers to Your Most Important Questions
The Certificate in eBioPharmaChem is a 37-week online course that will give you the industry knowledge you need to make a mid-career change into pharmaceutical manufacturing. Pharma Manufacturing Jobs are Stable, Safe and Secure High Paying Jobs (25% Above Average) University accredited (Level 7) by Technological University Dublin, Ireland Stand-alone Programme designed specifically to [...]
What is the Application Process for Your Courses?
This article is about applying directly to one of our courses. If you are from Ireland and are looking for information on applying through the Springboard programme, please see this article instead. Our Application Process To apply for any of our courses, you should first have read the information on [...]
What are the Minimum Requirements for a Career Change into Pharmaceutical Manufacturing?
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: April 2022 If you’re looking to make a mid career change into pharmaceutical manufacturing then you’re in the right place. And the best news is - almost anyone can do it! The courses we offer will allow you to utilize the skills you [...]
Certification in eValidation – Get Answers to Your Most Important Questions
The Certificate in eValidation is a 30-week online program that will retrain your for more senior roles in the highly sought-after niche area of validation, within pharmaceutical manufacturing. Acute shortage of Validation Professionals worldwide.A stand-alone programme designed to build your validation skillsAcademically accredited (Level 7) by Technological University Dublin, IrelandA stepping stone to our follow-on Degree [...]
Am I A Good Fit For An Online Course?
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: January 2024 An online course is obviously different to studying in a classroom environment. There won’t be someone stood in the room with you, making sure you sit down and complete your planned study session. You won’t have a set timetable that’s [...]
How To Be Sure About Your Career Change
By: Claire Wilson. Last Updated: April 2022 You’re looking for a change of career - something different. But is pharmaceutical manufacturing the something different that’s right for you? We’re assuming that you’ve already done things like taking our “Is pharma for me?” quiz and been able to [...]
How do the Courses Relate to Each Other? (or…How to Build a Degree)
Finding the right course when you’re changing career is a big decision. Your first thought will always be to find one that gives you enough information to get your foot in the door of the industry. Enough to convince an employer to give you a job. But what about the longer-term? Wouldn’t it [...]
What is a Process Engineer and How Can You Become One?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald B.Prod Eng and Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: July 2024 Process Engineers design, implement and optimise chemical and biochemical processes, especially continuous flow ones on an industrial scale to turn raw materials such as oil, natural gas or milk (using heat, pressure or a [...]
What is a Process Technician and How Can You Become One?
Process Technicians operate and monitor chemical or biochemical manufacturing processes, especially continuous flow ones on an industrial scale to turn raw materials such as milk, oil or natural gas (using heat, cold, pressure, or a chemical agent) into an end product (e.g. butter, beer, milk formula, drugs, vaccines, paint, etc.). Process technicians typically have some training in chemical engineering or chemistry.
What is a Project Engineer and How Can You Become One?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald B.Prod Eng and Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: July 2024 A Project Engineer manages technical or engineering projects. They work with stakeholders at all levels, with direct responsibility for budgeting, personnel and project planning and making sure the project is finished on time and on [...]
What is a Quality Assurance Specialist and How Do You Become One?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald B.Prod Eng and Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: March 2025 Image: Solar Career Map Quality Assurance Specialists check the implementation of the quality system and conduct quality assurance audits. They create and implement well-defined standards, procedures and checklists to reduce variation and ensure [...]
What is a Quality Control Analyst and How Do You Become One?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald B.Prod Eng and Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: July 2024 Quality Control Analysts check or test the product of a manufacturing process to make sure that it meets predefined quality or safety standards. The completion of this quality check ensures that the final product is [...]
What is a Packaging Operator and How Can You Become One?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald and Claire Wilson. Last Updated: July 2024 A Packaging Operator is responsible for taking the finished product of a manufacturing process and ensuring that it is packaged in line with company and industry standards, making it ready for sale or distribution. Some Companies [...]
What is a Maintenance Technician and How Can You Become One?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald B.Prod Eng and Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: July 2024 A Maintenance Technician performs routine maintenance of equipment, machinery and manufacturing facilities and helps troubleshoot and repair any mechanical or electrical problems when they arise. According to the BLS, the median annual wage for [...]
What is a Quality Engineer and How Can You Become One?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald B.Prod Eng and Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: April 2024 Image: Ingersoll Rand Quality Engineers work to ensure the overall quality of manufactured products. They test processes, monitor quality standards, create documentation, devise quality tests and define the criteria a test result should [...]
What is a Laboratory Technician and what do they do?
By: Donagh Fitzgerald B.Prod Eng and Claire Wilson BSc. Last Updated: July 2024 Laboratory Technicians assist scientists with research, testing, and conducting experiments. Their tasks can vary greatly between roles but are almost always laboratory-based. They may work alone on specific tasks but are usually part of a [...]