Environmental Scan 2017: Human Capital Issues within the Medical Devices Sector
Workforce Outlook
67% of the surgical/medical gloves manufacturers, 66% of the other medical consumables
companies and 81% of the non-consumables companies intend to expand their workforce
from January to December 2017 (excluding replacements due to attrition, retirement etc.).
2,287 new full time positions are expected to be created within the 12 surveyed
surgical/medical gloves manufacturers between January to December 2017. 87% of these
new positions are for science and engineering associate professionals, which represents an
81% expansion of the existing workforce needs for this job category. (See Figure 3-38 in
Appendix 3.2.1 for more information)
The 35 surveyed companies in other medical consumables segment plan to create 365 new
full time positions within the same period. 19% of these are new positions as manufacturing
and transport labourers, 18% as assemblers and 15% as science and engineering professionals.
The segment is planning to expand the existing workforce needs for science and engineering
professionals by more than 10%. (See Figure 3-39 in Appendix 3.2.1 for more information)
Within the 21 surveyed non-consumables companies, 563 new full time positions are
expected to be created between January to December 2017. 46% of the new positions will be
created for assemblers, 15% for metal, machinery and related trades workers and 9% for
drivers and mobile plant operators. The ratio of new positions to be created to the existing
workforce needs for these three job categories are more than 40%, which indicates a surge
in demand for talents within these job categories in the segment. (See Figure 3-40 in Appendix
3.2.1 for more information)
Moving forward, industry players believe that the skill sets listed in Table C-7 will see high
demand in the next 12 months. While the training for most of these skill sets are already
incorporated in the current academic syllabus, companies feel that many of their employees
and fresh graduates are facing difficulties applying their theoretical knowledge in the
workplace.
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