The talent gap hinders the takeoff of the biotechnology sector

However, this world of growing and enormous opportunities is also posing significant employment challenges within the sector. AseBio (Spanish Association of Biotechnology Companies), an entity that represents more than 300 companies, warns that its companies are encountering significant difficulties when finding suitable professional profiles. For this reason, this association, together with the Biotechnology Markets Platform, has prepared the study ‘Professional Profiles in the Biotech sector’ in order to identify these specific needs and also to evaluate whether university training in this field and other degrees of training related is aligned with the skills and knowledge demanded by the current biotechnology industry.

The companies interviewed have indicated that, although they receive numerous applications, many times the applicants do not meet the necessary skills for the positions offered. If junior profiles are needed, these companies can select those that best suit the position, since there is a lot of offer. However, when the requirements in terms of educational level, specialization and work experience increase, the selection process becomes more complicated. Normally, people apply with adequate training, but without sufficient work experience, or with extensive experience, but without the doctorate requested in the offer. «This becomes a particular problem when the job offer is linked to public aid that only finances specific profiles. In these cases, it is easier for companies to hire doctors without experience, since those with more work experience in the industry tend to be absorbed by pharmaceutical companies or CROs (Contract Research Organizations)”, explains Tomás Alarcón, coordinator of the Working Group of Talent and Diversity at AseBio and HR Director at 3PBiovian.

Regarding the specific knowledge in which companies are finding a worrying lack of candidates, computational biology, biostatistics or protein engineering stand out. Furthermore, in the case of artificial intelligence – as happens in many other sectors – demand exceeds supply and small companies cannot meet salary expectations, which increases the difficulty even more. The study has also detected a significant lack of professionals with experience in the selection and use of specific software programs for biotechnology. “Although there are competent profiles in the market in the search for clinical and genetic databases, it is difficult to find experts capable of generating and implementing molecular modeling tools and in the analysis of biomarkers or new therapeutic targets,” explains Tomás Alarcón.

Furthermore, 90% of the companies participating in the study state that they have required positions in the scientific or R&D, regulatory, laboratory technician or clinical trial monitoring areas. However, these same companies warn about the shortage of professionals with experience in genetics, genetic engineering and immunology. A high lack of professionals with knowledge of legislation and regulation has also been detected. For example, for production positions, companies highlight the lack of candidates with knowledge of specific regulations in the biotechnology field with GMP, GLP, etc.

From the classrooms

One of the main conclusions of the study is that there is a significant mismatch between the training provided by universities and training centers and the skills and knowledge demanded by biotechnology companies. “Although the students have a solid theoretical base, they lack practical experience and specific knowledge about the biotechnology industry,” says Tomás Alarcón. A striking conclusion of the study is that teachers consider that it would be beneficial to include more subjects on the biotechnology industry taught by professionals in the sector, as well as the need to promote the subject of ‘Economics and management of the biotechnology company’: labor demand has grown significantly in the field of marketing and business development due to an increasingly competitive environment: 78.43% of the companies surveyed have recently needed to fill this type of positions in their companies.

However, Isabel Bronchalo, CEO of Agrenvec (a private biotechnology company that produces high-quality recombinant proteins using plants as biofactories), explains the great difficulties in filling these positions: «We have difficulties finding profiles that are not strictly technical (commercial, marketing…), since people dedicated to life sciences do not consider these positions. The University is not only a place where you learn technical concepts, but it also has to teach you to be curious about knowledge. The most important thing is attitude, more than aptitude, because knowledge can be learned, but it is necessary to want to learn. It would be interesting for universities to contact the industry so that they go to the University and tell the students about the different paths in which they can orient themselves professionally. Hence, companies in the sector show a growing preference for profiles coming from Dual Vocational Training due to their greater autonomy and practical experience, obtained through prolonged periods of internships.

Sonia Martínez Arca, CEO of Bates Oncology, elaborates on this idea and states that “the school gives you a foundation to work in the laboratory, but then you have to really learn what it is like to work in a laboratory. Quality standards in a company are very important and students do not come with that training. Students who leave the University lack more transversal skills such as knowing how the ‘biotech’ company works. Even if you are in a purely technical position, it is important to understand how the sector works, what its priorities are, the times they manage, quality, etc.». Hence, another of the study’s conclusions is the need for greater collaboration between academia and industry in training. The AseBio study affirms that there are bureaucratic and structural barriers that limit this cooperation and that private universities have made more progress in this aspect, implementing complementary courses and specialization programs taught by industry professionals.

To face the challenges of the sector, AseBio warns that companies should prioritize strengthening technical competencies and soft skills through ‘upskilling’ and ‘reskilling’ strategies. The personalization of learning and the use of advanced educational technologies, such as adaptive learning platforms, AI or the use of active learning methodologies constitute key tools that could close the skills gap efficiently, promoting the comprehensive development of professionals and organizational growth. «Companies highly value soft skills such as a proactive attitude, the ability to work as a team and effective communication. However, a notable lack in these skills has been identified among recent graduates, especially in written comprehension and oral communication,” they say from Asebio.

Another factor that influences the difficulties in attracting profiles is the geographical location of some companies: biotechnology companies located far from large cities such as Madrid or Barcelona have difficulties in attracting talent to other regions of Spain, such as Galicia. These companies find success hiring people who want to return to their home area, but find it difficult to attract candidates from other provinces due to relocation, a lack of transportation options or other factors such as salary limitations compared to companies located in larger cities. Due to these circumstances, companies are sometimes forced to modify the profile they are looking for on the fly, since they cannot find the one they need in the market.

Formula for improvement

The Asebio employers’ association offers some of the keys that would allow this talent gap to be closed:

– Review and update of study plans to include more practical training, as well as specific knowledge in emerging areas.

– Promotion of soft skills in training.

– Strengthening academia-industry collaboration, through ‘spin-offs’, industrial doctorates and joint research projects. In addition, it is key to facilitate industry professionals to participate in teaching.

– Expansion of Dual FP programs, promoting their integration with biotechnology companies.

– Development of specific key competencies demanded by the sector, including advanced laboratory techniques, biostatistics, and management of biotechnology projects.

– Incentives to attract specialized talent: salary improvements, development opportunities, continuous training…