ZIMMER Biomet has announced the 2022 recipients of its annual STEAM Scholarship Award programme, which recognises the children of its employees in Ireland.
Launched in 2021, the programme was established to acknowledge the contribution of its highly skilled workforce in Ireland over the last fourteen years and to encourage a new generation in Ireland to enjoy a career in STEAM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
Eight Leaving Certificate students from the Mid-West region are the 2022 recipients of the award. In addition to paying third-level fees for the academic year, Zimmer Biomet will provide them with opportunities to participate in a summer placement programme to gain hands-on work experience. The Scholars will also enjoy peer groups, mentorship and career workshops.
The Zimmer Biomet Scholars of 2022 are Caoimhe Cahill (Shannon); Niamh Culligan (Ennis); Christopher Guerin (Pallaskenry, Limerick); Jack Holloway (Sixmilebridge); Alexandra Kiely (Meelick); Cian O’Reilly (Sixmilebridge); Mladen Vujnovic (Ennis) and Albert Wojcik (Shannon). Their chosen areas of study are diverse, ranging from Nursing and Biomedical Science through to Software Development, Mechanical Engineering, Forensics and Cyber Security as well as Business Studies and Economics and Finance.
Congratulating the group at the recent award ceremony, David Keane, Site Director, Zimmer Biomet Ireland & UK, said, “This award programme is designed to identify and nurture young talent. As a company, we want to support motivated students and enable them to reach their full potential. We value our team members and the communities within which we operate. We know that they are an important part of our ongoing success in Ireland. This is about paying it forward and building a strong pipeline of talent for the future.”
Mladen Vujnovic, a student of Mechanical Engineering at TUS Technological University, said, “This scholarship means the world to my family and me. The financial support providing is amazing and the work experience and networking opportunities will allow me to learn from industry experts.”
Alexandra Kiely, from Meelick, a student of Forensics & Cyber Security at the University of Limerick, said, “Receiving the Zimmer Biomet Scholarship has significantly increased my confidence this year. As I am in my third year, this scholarship allows me to concentrate more on my academic and professional objectives. I hope it will inspire other young women to pursue careers in technology by letting them know that there are companies and individuals out there who will support them.”
Zimmer Biomet’s STEAM Scholarship Award programme aligns with the Irish Government’s policy, which aims to foster the development of a more engaged and digitally aware society and a highly skilled workforce throughout Ireland. A leading employer in Shannon, Co Clare and Oranmore, Co Galway since 2008, Zimmer Biomet’s footprint in Ireland features two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities.
The universities and colleges represented include University of Limerick, TUS Technological University, University of Galway and University College, Cork.