Recognising and Supporting Apprenticeships in the Life Sciences Sector The LAC Apprenticeship Working Group

1. Recognising and Supporting Apprenticeships in the Life Sciences Sector The LAC Apprenticeship Working Group

2. Life Science Industry in the UK • Covering Medical Devices and Pharmaceuticals, through to Synthetic and Industrial Biotechnology – focusing on healthcare applications.  • Over 165,000 employees with an annual turnover of £50bn • The Life Sciences industry is an industry characterised by intense global competition and high mobility. One of its major assets in the UK is the quality of the science base and world class talent of the workforce.

3. Skills required for Life Science Industry in the UK • The Life Science Industry provides high-quality jobs and highly skilled and technical roles, but the minimum entry qualification is currently perceived to be at a graduate level. • However this is model is not always supplying the ‘right people’ with the ‘right skills’ and keeping them • Industry often has to supplement a significant investment to ensure they are ‘work ready’

4. Apprenticeship Model to address this Skill Issue Apprenticeship benefits for Industry: • Funding and Incentives for Employers for some Apprenticeships • Filling Skills Gaps • Increased Retention • Increased Diversification • Clear Pathways and Progression

5. Reasons why Apprenticeships are not embedded within the Life Science Industries • A large pool of graduates • Lack of clarity and awareness over Apprenticeships as a whole – including the current Level 2 and Level 3, and even the new Higher Apprenticeship for Life Sciences. • Not valuing this as an alternative route • Lack of local provision • Poor appreciation of how Apprenticeships fit within the business needs • Difficulty in seeing the progression routes for the Apprentice into other roles within the organisation • The level of Apprenticeship was not always deemed appropriate for companies entry route • Lack of internal support resources for SMEs • Concern over increasing headcount • Lack of understanding about how to recruit an Apprentice.

6. Recommendations • Embed the Apprenticeship model within Life Sciences Industries. • Map current provision, and identify good practice. • Develop an awareness raising campaign to inspire employer ownership and support particularly SMEs • Run pilot initiatives in the South East, East of England and the North West

7. Anticipated outcomes • A marketable alternative pathway for entry into the industry other than graduate and post graduate entry. • An understanding of where we are best placed to leverage the limited resources • Raised awareness of the benefits for industry and learners • Create an initial cohort of Life Science Apprenticeships