Cara Partners announce €6m, three-year upskilling programme at Cork facility
Programme will support 130 employees at Little Island site, strengthening operational excellence, leadership capability and sustainability skills.
Cara Partners, wholly owned by the Schwabe Group, today announced a major training and development initiative designed to upskill employees and support a step-change in capability across its Little Island facility.
The €6 million programme will run over three years, with the aim of enhancing multi product capability, strengthening technical and operational skills, and building leadership and change-management capacity to support continued growth.
This project is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism & Employment Peter Burke TD said: “Investment in skills and leadership capability is essential to maintaining Ireland’s competitiveness as a global location for advanced manufacturing. This significant programme at Cara Partners demonstrates how continued upskilling supports productivity, sustainability and long‑term employment, with the backing of Government through IDA Ireland.”
Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and at the Department of Transport, Jerry Buttimer TD said: "By investing in structured, high-quality training, Cara Partners is helping to ensure that valuable skills are developed and retained locally. Programmes like this strengthen the talent pipeline, giving employees the opportunity to grow within the company while supporting long-term workforce stability at the Little Island site."
Cara Partners has operated in Little Island since 1978 and forms part of the Schwabe Group, headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, a global provider of natural health solutions including plant-based medicines. Training will be delivered in collaboration with a range of academic and professional partners, including the Irish Management Institute, IBEC Academy, University College Cork, Munster Technological University, Irish Manufacturing Research, Trinity College Dublin, and Skillnet.
VP API Europe Schwabe Group Stephen Kenny said: “As part of our commitment to continuous growth and excellence, we are investing in a comprehensive training initiative designed to strengthen our operations and technical capabilities. This programme will support higher productivity and operational efficiency as our site continues to expand. We are also focused on developing future leaders through structured leadership development, succession planning, and cross-training opportunities.
Michael Lohan, CEO of IDA Ireland said: “Cara Partners’ commitment to upskilling and leadership development strengthens the capability of its Cork site and underpins its future growth in the region. IDA Ireland’s strategy places a strong focus on human capital, ensuring companies can build resilience, enhance productivity and support sustained regional growth.”
The initiative will support enhanced multi‑product and technical capability at the site, driving productivity and operational efficiency as it continues to grow. It will also focus on developing future leadership through structured development, succession planning and cross‑training, with sustainability and skills development embedded throughout the programme.
For further information, please visit Cara Partners
