5. Some Issues: The Industry Perspective
• National workforce modelling
• Talked to employers, HEIs, professional bodies, learned societies and
providers
• One to one consultations with senior executives
Quantity and quality issues:
• Technicians and a new vocational entry route
• Appropriate statistical and mathematical knowledge and ability
• The need for strong interdisciplinary collaboration – ensuring ideas and
good practice spread throughout the value chain
• The importance of practical skills at all levels and competencies – with
an emphasis on adaptability, technical prowess and commerciality
• An ability to reconcile skill to rapid structural and organisational change
6. Some Themes
• In general skills will be ‘higher’, ‘wider’
and more interdisciplinary
• A greater level of scientific project
management and working in cross-
functional teams
• The influx of large volumes of newly
skilled people, the need for greater
interdisciplinary awareness, retirement
replacement demand, and new project
working models, will all create
development needs
• This is to be expected for a rapidly
changing sector
• Particular stress is likely to be placed on
those working between populations
7. How to achieve this?
• Working through the existing
skills system?
• Working through a new skills
system – the Science
Industry Partnership (SIP)?
• Modernising Scientific
Careers
8. Science Industry Partnership
Science industry employers taking ownership of skills
• £52 million Government/industry co-investment in science industry
talent
• Led by GSK and supported by over 100 UK based science
companies and a SIP Board
• New solutions for new skills; end-to-end skills and training
programmes
• Fully supported and facilitated by Cogent Skills, expert skills partner
