Biotechnology Skills Forum

Thursday 5th August 2010. Registration will be from 15.30 for a 16.00 start, closing with a light buffet around 18.30.

The Trinity Centre
24 Cambridge Science Park
Milton Road
Cambridge
CB4 OFN
T: 01223 395833
www.thetrinitycentre.com

The Forum is being pulled together at short notice with named individuals and organisations in relation to the Government’s request that we extend our Academy service to embrace the skills needs of the Biotechnology sector, both industrial and pharmaceutical areas. This extension is in our view overdue and a natural evolution of our current role, fitting perfectly with our current remit of providing leadership of the skills agenda for chemicals, polymers and pharmaceuticals.

The Life Sciences are of vital importance to the UK and the Biotechnology sector is one of a number of our high – technology, emerging industries which we must ensure plays a leading role in building a stronger, progressive UK economy.

We are required to submit  a customised business plan in September for this new Academy and we need your help and support, both in terms of informing the agenda and ensuring the level of industry support needed to convince the Government of the importance of this strategy.

Once our business plan is approved we will, in partnership with other interested stakeholders including relevant Sector Skills Councils;

Identify and commission the development of short courses and programmes to meet industry needs.

Establish and develop a network of specialist skills Providers (HE, FE, Commercial).

Establish and deploy standards, specifically developed to meet the needs of biotechnology roles and organisations.

Work to support the needs of individual Companies and the industry in general through our Business Partnership arrangements.

We are already aware of shortages of laboratory technicians, hard to fill vacancies, a lack of leadership and entrepreneurial skills amongst managers, the need for scale up and specific technical skills –we aim to fill these and other gaps you help us identify.

This is your chance to get involved at a formative stage, give us the opportunity to share our ideas with you and to refine our thinking.

I would be grateful if you confirm who will be attending to Lisa Maw – industry@process.nsacademy.co.uk or 01325 740912 by Friday 30th July 2010. 

If you require any further information regarding the business plan please contact Dr Iain Taylor – i.taylor@process.nsacademy.co.uk or 07894 483 698.

We look forward to seeing you and / or a colleague on the 5th August.