Minister Peter Burke said that it is essential Ireland ‘rises to the challenge’ of providing the educated and trained workers needed to support this growth.
A new report estimates that biopharma jobs in Ireland will grow by 21,000 in the next three years as demand for skills in this fast-growing space soars.
In a report titled Skills for Biopharma, the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) said that the additional jobs will be created by 2027 to support the biopharma sector, which has been growing steadily over the past five years.
Biopharma is a linchpin of the Irish tech ecosystem, employing tens of thousands of highly skilled workers across a variety of roles. The sector also continues to see strong demand from fresh graduates across the country.
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke, TD, 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,” he said.
According to Burke, the biopharma sector employs more than 50,000 people directly in Ireland. The report published today (26 April) found that graduate inflow into the sector is likely to fall short of recruitment needs by 3,000 people annually.
“The education and training sector will need to respond to the demand for the highly skilled workers needed by the sector,” Burke added. “Upskilling of the existing workforce will also be necessary, as will attraction of the relevant talent from overseas.”
His department said that an implementation group has been set up to drive the recommendations in the report, to be chaired by Patricia Quane, formerly of Astellas Pharma. Quane also chaired the steering group for the project.
“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,” said EGFSN chair Tony Donohoe.
“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.”
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