Journal of Academic Development and Education JADE Issue 10 | Page 78

78 | JADE
ARTICLE #5 | 79
KATHRINE JACKSON, BARBARA DALE, & LOU TAYLOR-MURISON
to a ‘healthy ageing programme’ and £210 million for making
improvements to the diagnosis of disease and the development of
new medical treatments and technologies through a ‘data to early
diagnosis and precision medicine programme’. An extra £40m is
provided for the UK Dementia Research Institute for creating a new
research hub in partnership with University College London that will
host 350 leading scientists and research into new treatments.
The 'Life Sciences Sector Deal' has been developed through
collaborative working between government and the life sciences
sector, involving more than 25 organisations ‘across biopharma,
medtech and diagnostics, charities and academia’ (p.6). To support
the ambition of making the UK a ‘top tier global hub for biomedical
and clinical research and medical innovation’, (Ibid., p.6) public and
private investment up to £80bn could be realised for research and
development (R&D) over next ten years.
The pharmaceuticals manufacturing sector accounts for 22% of
all business R&D and exists within growing global health and life
science markets, which are predicted to grow up to 10% per year
over the next ten years. This creates the need for skills, including
highly skilled research and development skills, for the sector to fully
achieve its potential and ‘maintain the UK’s position at the forefront
of life sciences’ ('Bridging the Skills Gap in the Biopharmaceutical
Industry - Maintaining the UK’s leading position in life sciences',
2015, p.3). The 'Life Sciences' strategy suggests that sectors should
collaborate on ‘a skills action plan across the NHS, commercial and
academic sectors’, which would be based on a ‘gap analysis that
identifies the key skill areas for future focus’ and is ‘expected to
include clinical pharmacology, clinical trials, manufacturing, data
science, clinical science, engineering and biosciences ('Life Sciences
Industrial Strategy'. 2017, p.62).
KEELE UNIVERSITY HIGHER LEVEL SKILLS NEEDS RESEARCH
that up-skilling, conversion, continuing professional development
and retraining for existing workers is critical to keep up with the data
revolution and ensure future productivity in an ageing society.
Apprenticeships, updating standard degrees and CPD have been
identified as mechanisms for providing universities and employers
with an opportunity to invest in the existing and future workforce by
developing the required industry-specific skills in the years to come.
Government has identified four Grand Challenges for businesses,
academia and civil society to work together on to innovate and
develop new technologies and industries in areas seen as strategically
important to Britain. In considering these four Grand Challenges: 1)
artificial intelligence and data revolution, 2) clean growth, 3) the
future of mobility, and 4) an ageing society, it has become clear
that future skills needs traverse all sectors – and in the case of Keele
University, across all disciplines – particularly in relation to innovation
and new technology, the promotion of digital and STEM skills and
investment in AI and clean growth.
In order for it to respond with an integrated whole systems
approach, one of the report's recommendations was that Keele
University could use a collaborative approach amongst faculties
and industry to develop higher level apprenticeships, degrees and
CPD opportunities which respond to local and national skills needs.
This would involve being future facing by, for instance, developing
non-tradition standard degree courses alongside industry partners
and short CPD courses which specifically respond to a high-need
local skills gap. For instance, Keele Management School could
choose to work with the Department of Geography, Geology and
the Environment and industry partners to create a Green Finance
master's course.
Other skills relevant to this sector (‘across industry, the NHS,
academia and regulators’) will be regulatory skills, for ‘medicines
development, regulation and delivery to patients’ and ‘to develop
standards for emerging technologies and methodologies’(Ibid.). Bibliography
The strategy points to ‘an acute shortage of well-trained individuals’
with data and digital skills (Ibid., p.63). 'Bridging the Skills Gap in the Biopharmaceutical Industry - Maintaining the
UK’s leading position in life sciences', (2015). ABPI. https://www.abpi.org.uk/
media/1365/skills_gap_industry.pdf
Conclusions/Moving Forwards 'Careers of the Future', (2014). UK Commission for Education and Skills
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/
file/391911/15.01.05._UKCES_Career_Brochure_V13_reduced.pdf.
To build and sustain the aspirational modern society that is discussed
in the Industrial Strategy, with its thriving economy, prosperous
communities and greater earning power, firm foundations are
needed. The skills of the workers represent one of these foundations.
What has become evident in this study is that there is a consensus
'Annual Report 2017', (2017). Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP. https://
www.stokestaffslep.org.uk/app/uploads/2015/11/SSLEP-Annual-Report-2017-
web-1.pdf.
Caswell, Rachel and Stuart Nicholls, (2015). 'The Story of Staffordshire',
Staffordshire County Council. https://www.staffordshireobservatory.org.
uk/documents/StaffordshireStory/Story-of-Staffordshire-2016-Full-report-
VERYFINAL.pdf.
'Digital Skills for the UK Economy', (2016). HM Government: Department of
Business, Innovation and Skills and Department for Culture, Media and Sport.