Combilift marks 10 years of engineering traineeship success

Combilift celebrated the 10th anniversary of its OEM Engineering Traineeship this week, highlighting a decade of collaboration with the Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB) to address regional skills gaps in engineering and manufacturing.

Since its launch in 2015, the nine-month program has trained more than 150 participants, offering a QQI Level 5 qualification and boasting job placement rates over 80 per cent. It combines 26 weeks of classroom learning at Monaghan Institute with 12 weeks of practical experience at Combilift, a global manufacturer of materials handling equipment.

“We wanted to create more than just a training program—we wanted to build a pathway into meaningful careers,” said Combilift managing director Martin McVicar. “This traineeship has delivered exactly that, time and time again.”

Backed by government and EU funding, the fully financed program offers trainees a weekly bursary and additional credentials such as a City & Guilds Hydraulics module and a Lean Six Sigma White Belt.

CMETB says it plans to expand the program to include other regional employers in 2025. Enrolment for the September 2025 intake is now open.

To learn more about Combilift’s OEM Engineering Traineeship, please visit combilift.com/training.