It is no secret that there is a shortage of professional skill sets in the life sciences and pharmaceutical sector, and nowhere is this more keenly felt than in the area of Biostatistics where experienced professionals are in demand all across Europe. One of the results of this shortage is that employers have to become more innovative in how they attract and retain talent which has led to initiatives around flexible work /life balance arrangements such as home based working positions. However, while on the surface these employment policies would be seen as laudable, could they also be storing up trouble for the future? Could pharmaceutical professionals be potentially damaging their long term career development? And from the employers’ perspective could they be causing a blockage in the talent pipeline of the next generation of leaders?
There is no doubt that the pharmaceutical sector has faced some tough challenges in recent years. As clinical trials became more expensive, many firms were forced to rationalise their research and development spending and the trend towards outsourcing to clinical research organisations (CROs) became far more prevalent. The professionals most in demand now include technical experts who understand the software surrounding clinical trial data reporting, statisticians who can define what the data is and managers who can manage the transition of the data and follow its evolution through the different trials.
This demand is set to skyrocket as the sector approaches a patent cliff and the pressure to get new drugs onto the market intensifies.
Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at
via Is the Pharmaceutical Sector facing a Leadership Skills Gap? – Feature | PharmiWeb.com.
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Posted by gurjendersihe2012 | February 11, 2014, 1:55 am