Building an AI-ready biotech workforce: what new curriculum and AI skills evidence mean for the sector
In this blog, Dr Kate Barclay, Skills Strategy Consultant at BIA, explores two pivotal developments — the National Curriculum review and Skills England’s AI Skills for the UK Workforce report — and what they mean for preparing the next generation of scientifically confident, AI-literate talent for biotech.
As the UK’s life sciences sector increases digitally enabled innovation, from AI-accelerated discovery in the TechBio space to automated bioprocessing and data-rich manufacturing environments, BIA have been involved with two new policy developments published this month that could shape how the next generation of talent will be prepared - The National Curriculum and Assessment final report and AI skills for the UK Workforce research published by Skills England. Together, these offer the clearest signal yet that UK education and skills policy is shifting decisively towards an AI-literate, data-confident scientific workforce.
The national curriculum review sets out a more coherent and knowledge-rich model for learning from ages 5–19, but its biggest significance for the biotech sector lies in its commitment to embedding digital and AI literacy across subjects and not confining it to computing lessons, which are often inaccessible to many. BIA’s workshop contributions helped shape several of the review’s key themes of increasing AI literacy rooted in strong maths and data foundations, maintaining core science and increasing accessibility to triple science, improved science teaching with far more emphasis on inquiry, experimentation and problem-solving, and better visibility of real-world STEM applications, including biotechnology, biomanufacturing and genomics. This represents a meaningful shift toward a school curriculum that prepares young people for emerging scientific roles rather than those of the past.
Skills England’s AI Skills for the UK Workforce report provides a practical evidence base for why curriculum reform is so critical. Its findings show that AI skills are now required across almost every growth sector, with life sciences positioned among the most affected. Three key insights stand out for biotech employers:
- AI skills are broad and for everyone, not just “for coders” - the report identifies three dimensions of AI capability needed across the workforce, including technical skills (data handling, working with AI tools, automation), responsible AI skills (ethics, safety, data governance) and non-technical skills (problem-solving, critical thinking, adapting workflows to AI)
- Many in the existing workforce lack the foundational digital skills needed to progress - even basic digital literacy gaps can block access to higher-value AI capability. This reinforces the curriculum review’s focus on secure early maths, data competence, understanding statistics and digital confidence.
- Employers often struggle to define the AI skills and training they need - the report’s AI Adoption Pathway and Skills Framework shows that many organisations are unsure which AI skills matter for them. For fast-evolving sectors like biotech, this makes proactive engagement with training providers essential.
The combined policy and evidence picture is clearly aligned with what we know about talent entering and remaining within the sector. Future biotech talent will need stronger maths, much deeper practical science skills, and AI and data literacy embedded throughout their learning. The curriculum review’s focus on scientific inquiry and problem-solving aligns with current laboratory practice, while the AI Skills report’s framework helps clarify the specific competencies employers should expect across different job levels. Together, they create a more future-oriented education system, but only if industry continues to play its part. Alignment between curriculum reform and new AI skills evidence creates a rare opportunity for us to influence building the AI-ready, scientifically confident workforce our sector needs.
