Written by Excellence First Enterprise Consultancy (EFEC).
The UK life sciences sector remains a cornerstone of the national economy, employing around 300,000 people and contributing approximately £100 billion annually. In 2025, the market shows signs of stability and recovery from prior uncertainties, driven by rising recruitment, targeted investments, and sustained innovation.
• Growth Trends: Vacancies in the sector increased by 5.2% in 2024, totalling 7,521 positions. London leads with a 29% surge in job openings, now holding nearly 28% of all scientific roles. Yorkshire and the Humber has also seen strong growth, with a 32.9% rise in opportunities.
• Sector Hotspots: Big Pharma dominates job creation, accounting for 52.2% of scientific roles, while biotech is the fastest-growing segment, with a 23.7% increase in vacancies.
• Long-Term Demand: Projections indicate a need for approximately 145,000 skilled workers over the next decade, including 70,000 newly created jobs by 2035, to sustain the UK’s global competitiveness and offset retirements.
Key Opportunities
• Technological Advancements: Breakthroughs in gene therapy, synthetic biology, AI, and digital health are transforming the workforce. Demand is surging for experts in these emerging fields, with AI integration in drug discovery and clinical operations creating new roles in bioinformatics and data science.
• Regional Cluster Development: While established hubs like London, Cambridge, and Oxford continue to thrive, emerging biotech corridors in Yorkshire, the North West, and the Midlands are fostering more geographically diverse opportunities. This includes growth in MedTech in Ireland and biotech in the North West, supported by hybrid work models for cross-border talent access.
• Talent Diversification: Innovation demands are encouraging recruitment from diverse backgrounds, including international talent. There is a focus on crossover hiring between biotech, healthtech, and AI, alongside efforts to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) to attract mission-driven candidates.
Major Challenges
• Talent Shortage: Persistent shortages exist in specialised areas such as gene editing, regulatory affairs, biomedical engineering, and informatics. Approximately 65% of employers report difficulties in recruiting suitable candidates, with average time-to-fill for roles extending to 78 days due to competition and limited niche talent pools.
• Skills and Training Gaps: Higher education and training programmes are struggling to keep pace with rapid technological evolution, especially in interdisciplinary and digital skills. This is compounded by budget constraints and the need for upskilling in areas like GxP compliance and AI applications.
• Global Competition for Talent: The UK faces stiff competition from international markets, necessitating strategies to attract and retain top talent amid economic pressures and selective candidate behaviours.
• Integration Barriers for International Students: International students, particularly from China, often face hurdles including language barriers, cultural adaptation, and limited practical experience. These issues can impede their transition into the UK workforce, with ethnic clustering and lower spoken English proficiency exacerbating social and professional integration.
Solutions: Enabling Chinese Talent to Thrive
The Value of Chinese Talent
Chinese students represent a valuable asset in bridging the UK’s talent gap. Their strong STEM foundations and innovative perspectives, honed in China’s advanced education system, can drive progress in life sciences and MedTech. Collaboration with China offers access to manufacturing scale, innovation leadership, and a vast talent pool, enhancing UK competitiveness through joint R&D, talent exchanges, and digital technology partnerships.
Common Barriers They Face
• Language and Communication: Many Chinese students lack confidence in professional spoken English despite meeting qualifications, contributing to integration challenges.
• Career Guidance Deficit: Almost 80% of international students, including those from China, report never receiving career support from their universities, limiting employability preparation.
• Limited Work Experience: Visa restrictions and placement constraints often hinder internships and networking, making post-graduation job entry difficult. Chinese students comprise 22% of international students but only 10% of those securing UK employment post-study.
High-Impact Support Strategies
• Language and Professional Communication Training: Offer workshops focused on real-world lab and workplace scenarios, extending beyond exam preparation.
• Mentorship and Industrial Networks: Pair students with UK mentors, alumni, and employers to build confidence, provide insights, and demystify workplace norms.
• Tailored Career Services: Provide specialised guidance on UK CVs, interviews, visas, and graduate schemes, with careers centres treating international students distinctly.
• Integrated Study-Industry Pathways: Embed internships, placements, and research collaborations in programmes, including expanded UK-China educational initiatives.
• Peer and Alumni Community Building: Create networks for shared experiences, cultural support, and mutual aid to reduce clustering and enhance integration.
Mutual Value Creation
Supporting Chinese talent bolsters UK workforce resilience and fosters bilateral ties, advancing innovation, research, and economic growth. This aligns with the UK Government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan, which emphasises R&D excellence, investment attraction, and health innovation through £2 billion in funding, including £520 million for manufacturing and £600 million for health data research.
EFEC’s Long-Term Commitment to UK Life Sciences Talent
Excellence First Enterprise Consultancy (EFEC) reaffirms its dedication to the UK life sciences sector through the launch of the Future Ready (@CognateUK) pilot programme. Designed for aspiring Chinese A-Level students pursuing life sciences careers, this initiative facilitates seamless transitions from school to university and into employment. EFEC invite collaborations with colleges, universities, industry partners, and stakeholders to amplify this programme’s impact.
References:
• Vacancysoft. “UK Life Sciences Labour Market Trends, January 2025.”
• BioIndustry Association. “Life sciences will need 70,000 new jobs by 2035.”
• Hyperec. “2025 Life Sciences Hiring Outlook Continued: Insights from 100 HR Leaders.”
• SEDA Talent. “2025 Life-Sciences Recruitment Trends.”
• Cambridge Network. “Why the UK life sciences sector must collaborate with China.” (Authored by EFEC)
• UK Government. “Life Sciences Sector Plan to grow economy and transform NHS.”
Disclaimer: This article is intended for industry professionals and provides general educational information only. It does not promote specific products or constitute medical advice.