Kildare firm wins employer award

A KILDARE company has been named Engineers Ireland's CPD Employer of the Year Award for its new approach to supporting career development and building future capability.

Newbridge firm Murphy has cultivated and retained staff, earning recognition through Engineers Ireland's prestigious 2026 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Employer of the Year Award.

The award celebrates Murphy’s talent development pathway initiative which develops talent, strengthens retention and builds capability from within. Presented at a ceremony at Engineers Ireland's headquarters in Dublin, the award recognises employers who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to investing in their people and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

Murphy’s pathway initiative builds capability ahead of demand, supports internal progression and succession, and has resulted in a notably higher than national average employee retention rate in a competitive market.

For engineers, from apprentices to those leading high performing teams, it offers professional recognition, providing clear progression routes, structured development expectations and targeted support at each career stage. The results demonstrate how a strong CPD framework can build a sustainable pipeline of engineering professionals.

Kevin Buckley, managing director (Energy & Industry) & engineering director (Ireland) with Murphy, expressed the company’s pride in receiving the award. 

He said: “Winning the Engineers Ireland CPD Employer of the Year Award is tremendous recognition of our people and of the culture we have built over 75 years. It recognises the work of our people team in building the Murphy talent development pathway, the teams who deliver our programmes, and the mentors and coaches who generously share their experience. 

"Most importantly, it recognises the employees who commit their time and energy to their own development and bring that learning back into the business. It makes us very proud, and it also encourages us to keep listening to our people, investing in their careers and improving the pathway for the next generation.” 

 Murphy is one of the leading private and public sector organisations that holds the Engineers Ireland CPD Employer Standard, which recognises employers committed to excellence in learning, professional development and innovation. Through its CPD Employer of the Year Award, Engineers Ireland celebrates organisations that are setting high standards in developing engineering talent and demonstrating the value of lifelong learning to the profession.