Tackling skills shortages in the life sciences sector

This research project paints a largely optimistic picture of graduate opportunities in northern England's life sciences sector, but skills shortages are highlighted as a widespread issue

Key findings

• Despite a generally positive outlook, life science employers in the north of England are facing skills shortages. Around 45% of employers felt they lacked appropriately skilled applicants and a further 30% felt there were too few applicants.
• Although around half of science employers offered graduate-level science and technology roles, only 25% of employers advertised their vacancies through university job sites and fewer than 17% advertised on traditional graduate careers websites.
• To produce graduates with the required skills for the labour market and to support employers to develop their business productivity, it is highly important to develop partnerships between universities and industries - e.g. industry-based projects, short and long-term work experience and work shadowing.
• These collaborations can address the skills deficit by structuring courses to match employers' needs, increasing opportunities to develop appropriate technical skills and work experience, increasing the number of quality applicants by improving recruitment.

About the report

This HECSU-funded research explores the life science graduate labour market in northern England, providing an overview of the sector's recruitment procedures, employment opportunities, skills requirements and potential challenges.

The author, Nicola Abbott, is a specialist adviser for bioscience and chemistry students at Sheffield Hallam University.

Written by

Nicola Abbott

Specialist adviser

Sheffield Hallam University