Pharmaceuticals industry

The industry produces everything from antibiotics to the contraceptive pill and develops products that treat many common illnesses and ailments from allergies and infections through to asthma and diabetes. It also continues to pioneer new treatments for many serious and life-threatening diseases including cancer and heart disease. In short, this is an industry that enhances and, in some cases prolongs, many lives all around the world.

The pharmaceuticals industry is also responsible for the safety and effectiveness of the products it manufactures. Products go through rigorous tests and trials.

In 2005, pharmaceutical companies in the UK spent £3.3 billion on pharmaceutical research and development – that’s an investment of around £9 million every day. Indeed, around a quarter of all UK industry-supported research and development comes from the pharmaceutical industry.

It is also an industry that needs highly skilled people. There are many and varied careers on offer. Career development in the pharmaceutical industry is well respected and the companies which make up the sector are committed to investing in their people, as it is through their employees’ skills and talents that they are able to be innovative and compete internationally.

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Industry details

Includes:

  • Basic pharmaceutical manufacture

  • Pharmaceutical preparations manufacture

Statistics:

  • The UK Pharmaceuticals industry is 4th globally in world trade balance
  • The Pharmaceuticals industry accounts for 1% of UK GVA
  • UK pharmaceutical exports (2006): £14.6 billion
  • UK spend on medicines as a proportion of GDP: 0.94%
  • UK sales share of the world's top 100 prescription medicines (2003): 20%
  • UK market share of new medicines (2003): 17%
  • Pharmaceutical R&D expenditure in the UK (2005) = £3,308 million
  • R&D accounted for 34.2% of sales in the UK Pharmaceuticals industry (2004)
  • UK has 2 corporations in the global top ten with a 10.5% global market share

The Skills Gap


There is an over supply of people qualified at S/NVQ level 1 and below compared to the number of jobs at that level in the Pharmaceuticals Industry.

Elementary occupations only account for 7% of the overall workforce.

There is a 12% SURPLUS at S/NVQ level 1 and below.

There is an under supply of people qualified to S/NVQ level 2 and 3 compared to the proportion of jobs at those levels in the Pharmaceuticals Industry.

Level 2 and level 3 occupations account for 44% of the Pharmaceuticals Industry.

There is a 21% DEFICIT at S/NVQ levels 2 and 3.