Pharmaceutical staff must ‘upskill or be left behind’

UPSKILL or be left behind — that’s the challenge to thousands of workers in the high-tech pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector as Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) prepares to launch a range of specially tailored courses.

A week-long newspaper advertising campaign and a special information evening will be run at the end of August to showcase two programmes to the sector’s Cork workforce of up to 20,000 employees.

The Bachelor of Business in First Line Management, now in its first post-pilot phase, and an extended version of the Higher Certificate in Science in Good Manufacturing Practice and Technology will be on offer either at the college or on-site at the workplace, from mid to late September.

Head of the Educational Opportunities Department at CIT Marese Bermingham said: “These courses are aimed primarily, but not exclusively at people already working in the pharmaceutical, medical devices and biotechnology industry. They are aimed at upgrading and upskilling employees in these sectors.

“We’re focusing on this area because it’s one of the strongest growth areas in the Cork region.

“It is important that CIT and the other higher education institutions respond by providing courses like these, which are designed in conjunction with the industry sector,” she said.

“The economy is one where upgraded skills and competencies are key to enhanced employment prospects for individuals,” she said, adding that CIT is looking at other ways to make educational opportunities more accessible to people in the workplace.

“We have a proposal with FÁS on the issue of reaching into the workforce and new programmes will come out of that,” Ms Bermingham said.

“The other side of the story is flexibility — if a particular industry has a potential cohort of students, we can deliver on-site.”

The courses will also be available in the evening at CIT. Students can select one or two modules within each of the two programmes and be certified for those or gather credits towards a full award at Higher Certificate or degree level.

The programmes are eligible for funding under the FÁS Competency Development Fund and participating workers are eligible for a grant of up to 60% of tuition fees.

An information session will be held on August 29 at 6.30pm at CIT.

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