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Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke today welcomed a report from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), which forecasts 21,000 additional jobs will be created by 2027, in order to support Ireland’s important and fast-growing Biopharma sector.
The report, entitled Skills for Biopharma – Researching and forecasting the current and future skills needs of the Biopharma sector in Ireland to 2027 shows the strong growth in employment in the Biopharma sector in Ireland over the past five years, and highlights the specific skills needed to support this strategically important sector for Ireland’s economy.
Commenting on the launch of the report, Minister Burke said:
"The Biopharma sector is central to Ireland’s economic success and has been for many years. This report shows that we expect strong growth in the sector requiring a continuing inflow of skilled workers. It is essential that Ireland rises to the challenge of providing the educated and trained workers needed to support this growth.
"The Biopharma sector employs more than 50,000 people directly in Ireland and the report predicts that number to grow by more than 21,000 by 2027. In order to facilitate this, the education and training sector will need to respond to the demand for the highly skilled workers needed by the sector. Upskilling of the existing workforce will also be necessary, as will attraction of the relevant talent from overseas."
The report finds graduate inflow into the sector is likely to fall short of recruitment needs by 3,000 people annually. This shortfall will have to be made up, inter alia, by ensuring that the education and training system is responsive to sector needs as well as by ongoing training and upskilling within the sector itself.
An Implementation Group has been set up to drive the recommendations in the report. It is being Chaired by Patricia Quane, formerly of Astellas Pharma, who also Chaired the Steering Group for the project. The Implementation Group had its first meeting on Thursday 25 April and intends to meet three to four times a year for the next two years to coordinate and drive implementation.
Minister Burke continued:
"Key to success is the implementation of the report’s recommendations. If we are to see the potential for growth in the sector realised, it will require the necessary skills, as outlined in this report. I would like to offer my support to the Implementation Group that has been set up to drive the report’s recommendations forward over the next two years. Solid, evidence-based research is just the first step. Taking positive and committed action in the necessary areas is what is now needed."
Tony Donohoe, Chair of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, added:
"This Expert Group report highlights the strong ongoing growth of the Biopharma sector in Ireland but shows that there is likely to be a significant shortfall of skilled individuals in the sector over the next five years. Beyond the overall growth in staff numbers, the sector also faces specific skills challenges arising from changes in manufacturing technologies and the digitalisation of processes. The sector also needs skills to underpin innovation and R&D, as well as to fill QC and regulatory roles.
"Therefore, action is needed if we are to unlock the sector’s potential for growth. Many of the actions recommended by the report involve cooperation and collaboration between industry and the education and training sectors. The industry also needs to promote itself and identify career pathways and opportunities for new entrants. The education and training sectors must listen to what the industry needs and provide relevant courses in sufficient quantities where they can. There is a substantial opportunity for the Biopharma sector in Ireland if it can source the skills it needs over the next five years."
The main findings of the report are:
The report makes ten recommendations under the following headings:
The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) advises the Irish Government on the current and future skills needs of the economy and on other labour market issues that impact on Ireland’s enterprise and employment growth. It has a central role in ensuring that labour market needs for skilled workers are anticipated and met.
The Enterprise Strategy, Competitiveness and Evaluations Division within the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment provides the EGFSN with research and analysis support.
Contact Expert Group on Future Skills Needs at info@egfsn.ie