23 MAY 2025
News
National news

Ireland: advanced manufacturing training centre of excellence (AMTCE) officially opens

The official opening of the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre of Excellence (AMTCE) is an important development in the delivery of higher-quality, flexible and more advanced sector-specialised further education and training (FET) programmes, support services and qualifications. 

The development of this Centre of Excellence builds on the commitment in the national Further education and training (FET) strategy 2020-2024, which supported the development of Centres of Excellence, and called for the promotion and reward of such specialist excellence. 

The opening of the AMTCE is also in line with the EU's Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) initiative which is a key part of the EU strategy to enhance vocational education and training (VET).

AMTCE marks a milestone for Ireland’s manufacturing sector

On 13 March 2025, the Irish Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, officially opened the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre of Excellence (AMTCE) in Dundalk, Ireland. 
This marks a significant moment for Ireland’s manufacturing sector. The minister, alongside key industry leaders and representatives from SOLAS (the FET Authority), Enterprise Ireland (the Irish government’s Enterprise Development Agency) and other partners from the FET sector inaugurated the EUR 62 million state-of-the-art facility.

Why is this Centre of Excellence significant?

The Centre provides cutting edge training in advanced manufacturing including robotics, construction technologies, 3D printing including concrete printing, cybersecurity, and ICT innovations. It also facilitates the location of sector-specific world-standard specialised equipment and experienced trainers. 

The Centre marks a significant milestone for Ireland’s Further Education and Training (FET) ecosystem with a substantial capital investment from the Irish government. The AMTCE is more than just a training facility – it is a hub of innovation, collaboration, and opportunity for both learners and industry alike. As per the EU's CoVEs initiative, the AMTCE follows the required characteristics: 

  • a holistic approach: the AMTCE adopts a learner-centred approach, integrating VET into local skills ecosystems. This supports regional development, innovation and social inclusion;
  • collaboration:  it works closely with various stakeholders, including businesses, higher education institutions and research centres, to ensure that training is relevant to the labour market;
  • innovation hubs: it acts as a catalyst for local business development and innovation, often collaborating on applied research projects and supporting entrepreneurial initiatives;
  • flexibility: it provides flexible training opportunities for both young people and adults, helping them acquire skills needed for the green and digital transitions.

What programmes does the AMTCE offer?

The AMTCE features a wide range of training programmes including: 

robotics and cobotics; 

precision engineering and advanced metrology;

  • additive manufacturing and 3D printing;
  • virtual reality applications;
  • industrial systems and control;
  • welding processes and technologies;
  • workshop fabrication and machining processes;
  • optimisation of manufacturing of processes and operations for Industry 4.0;
  • exploiting data practices, analytics and AI in advanced manufacturing;
  • pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical Process Technologies.

Each programme comprises a mix of classes, which are classroom based, blended learning, online instructor-led using a virtual classroom or self-directed. All training rooms in the AMTCE feature the latest in large touch screens to provide a multimedia learning centre, allowing more interaction with the educational content. 

The centre has also adopted the latest in online eLearning supports with a learning management system, immersive learning to augment hands-on equipment training, and an academy learning platform to support knowledge sharing and personal development activities.

Read More 

Please cite this news item as:
ReferNet Ireland, & Cedefop (2025, May 23). Ireland: advanced manufacturing training centre of excellence (AMTCE) officially opens. National news on VET.