23 Apr 2013
The Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI) and Medilink UK, the national health technology business support organisation, will together assist the UK medical technology sector within the proposed, employer-led, Science Industry Partnership (SIP). The SIP will provide employer leadership on skills.
Working alongside Cogent, the skills body for the science-based industries; these national organisations will support medical technologies-based companies in a Partnership which will potentially commission co-invested skills solutions, aimed at ensuring the UK has both the scientists and the technicians of the future.
Johnny Lundgren, Vice President and General Manager BD NW & S Europe, Corporate/Shared Services and Chairman ABHI said: “Medical technologies is a fast changing, multi-faceted industry, where talented scientists and engineers use their considerable skills to solve medical needs and make concepts a reality. We are delighted that the ABHI and Medilink UK are supporting our companies in this proposed partnership which will provide a means for joint investment by employers and government, as well as bringing a clear emphasis on areas where skills are needed most.”
Johnny Lundgren added: “The strategically important med-tech sector comprises a workforce of many different disciplines including R&D, engineering and manufacturing. Millions of UK patients depend on advances in such medical technology - from pacemakers to precision surgical instruments - it is vital that we continue to innovate through equipping people in the sector with the very best skills.”
Joanna Woolf, CEO of Cogent, which is supporting the bid said: “This transformative approach sees science and technology employers taking responsibility for end-to-end skills development and delivery. The SIP signals a much needed step change in employer ownership and responsibility. It will deliver significant impacts, supporting future growth and sustainability of the strategically important med-tech sector.”
Time Scales
An outline bid for the SIP was registered by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and submitted to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) at the end of March.
The decision on the outline bid will be given by UKCES sometime in July 2013. If successful, a full bid will need to be developed and submitted by October 2013. Government will decide if it wants to invest in the proposal in January 2014 and delivery is expected to take place from April 2014.
In order to prepare a sufficiently solid business case for the full bid, Cogent, ABHI and Medilink UK will co-ordinate a more detailed proposal with employers from April 2013.
The proposed SIP has already garnered significant employer support from around 50 employers: some of the first to become engaged include GlaxoSmithKline, UCB, Johnson and Johnson, Amgen, MedImmune, Fujifilm Diosynth, Ineos, Takeda Cambridge, Pentagon Chemicals, Lotte Chemical UK, SABIC UK Petrochemicals, Sembcorp Utilities, Chemoxy International, Huntsman Polyurethanes, HellermannTyton, Mexichem Fluor, Simon Storage Ltd and Victrex.
The proposed priority skills programmes for the SIP are likely to focus on:
- STEM Careers: a cross-sectoral proposal to attract young people into important STEM jobs.
- SMART Traineeships: a new development programme for individuals interested in a science or technology based career, but not yet ready for full employment.
- SMART Apprenticeships: a new, simple employer-owned system delivering more effective, work-ready apprentices.
- Science Industry Graduates: a radical new approach to graduate development, focused on the needs of employers.
- Modular Masters Programmes: a new mechanism to build on the skills at graduate level and develop further specialisms in emerging technologies.
- Science Industry Technicians: this would see current employees receiving SIP Awards for achievement of occupational competence.
…and establishing even stronger collaboration between industry and education.
If you believe your organisation would benefit from the solutions proposed, the Partnership would be keen to work collaboratively with you.
And we are interested in your ideas too - in the first instance you can provide feedback through an online survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/IP2013
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