Acknowledgments 1
Introduction to the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs 2
Foreword 3
Executive Summary 4
1 Introduction 11
2 Skills in the Biopharma Sector 20
3 Trends and Drivers of Biopharma Skills Demand 29
4 The Supply of Skills 43
5 Forecasting Biopharma Skills Needs and Supply 62
6 Conclusion 75
7 Recommendations 85
Appendix A: Terms of Reference 89
Appendix B: Biopharma Companies Consulted 93
Appendix C: Regional Workshops Agenda 94
Appendix D: Steering Group Members 95
Appendix E: Global Overview of the Biopharma Sector 96
Appendix F: FET Learner Completions in Biopharma-related Courses 2016-2021 99
Appendix G: Glossary of Terms 100
1
2
Tony Donohoe (Chair) Formerly Ibec
3
Tony Donohoe
4
»
»
»
5
6
7
Historical and forecast Biopharma employment growth 2017-2027 (high, low and medium growth scenarios)
8
9
10
4
9
1
6
2
7
5
10
3
8
11
1
12
1
»
»
»
13
14
15
16
Figure 1.1: Total Net Selling Value of production in selected sectors 2013-2021
17
85+
18,000
Up 31%
No.3
No.2
5%
12
€10 billion
18,000
Up 98%
8
10
67%
12,000
Up 84%
€116
billion
18
11
.
11.
19
The growth in new therapies, particularly Biologics:
The continuing importance of Small Molecule manufacturing:
The move from ‘Blockbuster’ to Personalised Medicine:
Social Medicine:
The growth of external contracting:
AI and Big Data:
.
20
21
Small Molecule Manufacturing:
22
Biologics, or Large Molecule Manufacturing:
Other Manufacturing Activities:
23
Global Business services (GBS)
Biopharma Services
Specialty Pharma Services
Research & Development (R&D)
24
Production roles, and associated Process Development roles
Regulatory Affairs
Quality Control
25
Supply Chain, Procurement and Planning
Environmental / Occupational Health & Safety (EHS)
26
Global Business Services
Biopharma Services
Specialty Pharma Services
27
“increasing conuence between sectors such as information and communications technology (ICT), business
and engineering, which were once considered to be unique disciplines in their
own right”
17
between humans, machines and
algorithms”
18
28
“enterprises providing the skills of the future to the next generation of
workers, many of whom could be working alongside robotic counterparts”
per se
29
30
“longer-term external challenges”,
“cell and gene therapy and mRNA vaccine technology
have increased from 11 to 21 percent of the drug development pipeline – the fastest growth ever seen in
the sector”.“20 percent increase in demand for STEM-related
roles”
“long-term reskilling and upskilling of the existing workforce”
31
“factors driving innovation and growth in the pharmaceutical industry”.
32
“medicines for human
use that are based on genes, tissues or cells”
32
33
Continued growth but increased competition:
More diverse and complex product pipelines:
Advanced manufacturing agility and resilience:
33
Sustainability as a strategic objective:
34
Figure 3.1: Employment growth in Biopharma subsectors 2016-2022
Figure 3.2: Net additional employment by Biopharma subsector 2016-2022
35
Figure 3.3: Employment permits issued to Chemical and Biopharma employers 2016-2023
36
37
38
Biopharma Resilience Index
39
40
Digitisation
Digitalisation
Digital Transformation,
41
recruitment
42
43
4
44
National Training Fund (NTF)
Springboard+
Human Capital
Initiative
Skillnet
Ireland
Apprenticeships
Biopharmachem Ireland
45
Enabling Future Pharma
46
BPC Skillnet trained
2,783
people in 2022, totalling
14,849
training days
.
47
55
Laboratory Apprenticeship
48
49
50
ABMER
SSPC
PMBRC
PMTC
68
51
52
Figure 4.1: HE Graduates in relevant elds of study (broad ISCED classicisation, NFQ Level 6-10)
70
71
72
Figure 4.2 : FET major awards in relevant elds of study (broad ISCED classication)
53
Figure 4.3: Combined FET and FET awards in relevant elds of study (broad ISCED classication,
all NFQ levels)
54
Table 4.6: Science/Engineering Awards and potential employment by NFQ level and detailed ISCED eld, 2020
2020 HE awards
74
NFQ 6 (HE) NFQ 7 (HE) NFQ 8 NFQ 9/10 Total
*
888
668
835
538
151 416 721
76
77
26 71 104 3 613
11
Figure 4.4: Awards by NFQ Level 2020 (all elds of study)
78
55
The availability of new talent:
The continuing development of the talent pool:
56
.
Recruitment competition between Biopharma rms and with other sectors:
Promoting STEM and careers in Biopharma at Primary and Post Primary levels:
57
“a range of quality professional learning experiences for early
years educators and teachers across primary and post primary schools to support staff with STEM content
knowledge, in planning and implementing integrated STEM activities”
58
“must ensure that learners have a positive
engagement with STEM education, while also increasing the uptake of STEM related subjects for learners of
all backgrounds, ability and gender.”
“large gender gap in STEM at both university and workforce level”
Growing apprenticeships:
59
Increased collaboration between industry and academia:
.
.
60
iEd Hub
Developing a Skills Framework for the Biopharma sector:
Increased use of Micro-credentials:
61
Creating new pathways to HE:
The number of graduates available to work in the sector has been estimated in two ways:
62
63
64
Figure 5.1: Historical and forecast employment in selected standard occupational categories 2021-2027
(all sectors)
65
Low Growth:
Global Forecast
5.39%
110
CAGR to 2027 based on
global forecast growth
for the Biopharma sector
applied uniformly across
all of its subsectors.
Medium Growth:
Expert Estimate
7.2%
CAGR to 2027 based on
enterprise agency expert
estimates of the growth
potential of the Biopharma
sector and each of its
subsectors.
High Growth:
Historical Trend
8.3%
CAGR to 2027 based on
the Biopharma sector
and each its subsectors
maintaining their
historical post-2016
growth rates.
66
.
Figure 5.2: Historical and forecast Biopharma employment growth 2017-2027 (all scenarios)
67
68
Figure 5.3: Forecast Biopharma employment growth by subsector 2022-2027 (medium scenario)
69
70
Figure 5.4: Total recruitment need (additional plus replacement jobs) by Biopharma subsector and growth
scenario 2023-2027
71
72
111
Figure 5.5: Forecast number of employees engaged in training, upskilling & reskilling (all scenarios) 2023-2027
111.
73
74
75
76
Manufacturing
Services
Mapping the current and emerging skills needs of the sector:
77
Trend analysis:
Growth in new therapies:
Continuing importance of Small Molecule Manufacturing:
international hub for Global Business, Biopharma and Specialty Pharma services.
Personalised Medicine:
Social Medicine:
External contracting:
AI and Big Data:
Continued growthincreased competition
Sustainability
Employment trends
78
Stakeholder consultation:
Many companies have difculty in attracting staff
Staff retention was identied as an issue,
There is a shortage of Senior Directors
Lack of availability of higher technical qualications (NFQ Level 6+)
Ready-for-industry skill sets
Improved data skills
Innovation, and R&D skills
QC and regulatory skills.
More transversal skills training
79
Digital Transformation
»
»
»
80
Funding and oversight bodies
Biopharmachem Ireland (BPCI)
Specialist providers
81
Further Education and Training
Higher Education
82
The availability of new talent:
The continuing development of the talent pool:
Recruitment competition between Biopharma rms and with other sectors:
Growing Apprenticeships:
Promoting STEM and careers in Biopharma at Primary and Post Primary Levels:
83
Increased collaboration between industry and academia:
Development of a Skills Framework:
Increased use of Micro-credentials:
Creating new pathways to HE:
Strengthening STEM Education
Increasing the Capacity for Education and Training at Tertiary Level
84
Increasing Collaboration between Industry and Academia
Promoting Biopharma as an accessible and attractive career choice
Promoting New Pathways into the Sector
Developing Leadership and Transversal Skills
Growing Digital Skills
Fostering an environment of diversity and collaboration
Accelerate the Development of Skills for Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products
Developing a Skills Framework and Further Skills Mapping of the Sector
85
86
1.1
1.2
[BPCI (Ibec)
2 .1
2.2
[SFI
2.3
[SFI
2.4
2.5
87
3.1
3.2
[BPCI
3.3
4.1
inter alia
4.2
5 .1
5.2
5.3
88
6.1
7.1
7. 2
7. 3
[SOLAS, HEA, Skillnet Ireland,
8.1
9.1
9.2
10.1
10.2
89
inter alia
“Future skills needs of
the biopharma industry in Ireland”
90
per se
91
114
inter alia
92
inter alia:
.
inter alia
93
Company Sector Subsector
94
95
96
.
97
98
99
Total FET Completions (Certied and Uncertied) in Science and Manufacturing Courses Relevant to Biopharmachem
2018 2019 2020 2021
Science
189 149 143 206
Manufacturing
1
11
11
225 276 152 68
100
AI
API
DP
101
(from
nomenclature statistique des activités économiques dans la Communauté européenne)
102
Expert Group on
Future Skills Needs
