UK pharma industry still suffering skills shortages despite progress
The UK’s pharmaceutical industry is still suffering from skills shortages, despite recent progresses, the UK’s industry body warned today.
“We’ve made progress in addressing some of the skills gaps that pharmaceutical companies have faced in recent years, with rapid improvements in areas such as biological and chemical science,” director of corporate affairs at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, Elliot Dunster, told City PM
“However, there are a number of areas where skills gaps remain – particularly for staff with the right digital and data skills whose skills are sought after by a number of sectors.”
Job applications into the sector have fallen a quarter since last June, according to data from recruitment analytics company Broadbean Technology yesterday.
The company, which collects data from global job boards, also found a more than 40 per cent decline in people applying for vacancies between May and June of this year, after an influx of pandemic cash into pharmaceuticals has seen firms trying to bolster their workforces.
“Our members are working hard to attract, nurture and retain the highly skilled workforce they need to make the UK the best place in the world to research, develop and use new medicines,” added Dunster.
The Home Office placed specialist pharma roles onto the occupation shortages list in May 2021, in a bid to make it easier for overseas experts to apply for a skilled worker visa post-Brexit.
Managing director at Broadbean Technology, Alex Fourlis, said the UK’s skills crisis is “continuing to be a focal issue”, as it leaks into almost every sector, most notably in logistics.
“We’ve now reached a critical point where pharmaceutical firms need to rebuild and nurture dwindling talent pools,” he added. “While also utilising innovative technology and maximising partnerships with external talent suppliers in order to find the undiscovered talent that is so desperately needed.”