BIA welcomes publication of the Life Sciences 2030 Skills Strategy

The UK BioIndustry Association (BIA) has welcomed today’s publication of the Life Sciences 2030 Skills Strategy. The report is a key deliverable from the Life Sciences Sector Deal 2 and sets out how the UK Life Sciences sector will attract, retain, train and develop the research, manufacturing and technical skills required by a dynamic and diverse UK sector.

The report forecasts the sector's demand for 133,000 skilled scientific staff through to 2030, all in highly specialised roles across the sector which embraces Biopharmaceuticals (R&D and Manufacturing), Medical Technologies (R&D and Manufacturing) and the services and supply chain.

Steve Bates OBE, Chief Executive of the BioIndustry Association said:

“Developing the future talent of our sector is essential to delivering ground-breaking treatments to patients and propelling growth in a key sector of the UK economy.”

“As our sector grows, we will need more specialist jobs and unique skills to deliver this crucial part of the UK Life Sciences Industrial Strategy, which will require collaboration across the eco system. BIA member companies have been powerful advocates for addressing the skills gap, providing incredible insight and evidence, and they will do all they can to support and expand the UK’s talent pipelines.” 

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

  1. To read the full report, please follow this link
     
  2. To see the Science Industry Partnership press release, please follow this link.
     
  3. The BIA has collaborated on the report with Science Industry Partnership (SIP), the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), with support from the Office of Life Sciences (OLS). 
     
  4. Key Recommendations from the report include:

Life Sciences 2030 Skills Strategy Delivery

Produce, implement and monitor a Life Sciences Skills Action Plan to oversee and coordinate the delivery of this Strategy’s recommendations, through a partnership approach with key sector stakeholders.

Integrated Skills

Develop and fund a sector-based skills policy that joins up the skills and business agendas and meets the ambitions of the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy.

Apprenticeships

Continue to promote, encourage and incentivise the take-up of apprenticeships in all parts of the sector to establish parity of esteem with academic routes.

Global Operating Environment            

Maintain the UK’s world-leading position in the Life Sciences sector, by supporting the facilitation of the transfer and exchange of a global workforce.

Attraction and Perception

To meet the demand requirement for up to 133,000 jobs across the sector, develop and roll out an attraction strategy to promote working in the Life Sciences sector.

  1. For further information please contact Jack Fellows Communications and Media Manager at the BIA, on 02076302196 or [email protected]