What Future?
Summary
Perhaps the greatest challenge facing global drug development is the scarcity of new clinical research professionals entering the industry, bringing refreshing energy and ideas to their work, but lacking practical experience. Those involved in recruiting CR staff will be aware of this shortage and that experienced employees are seeking greater career management/development and rapid progression.Bill McHale and Iain Jessup – i3 Pharma Resourcing
Perhaps the greatest challenge facing global drug development is the scarcity of new clinical research professionals entering the industry, bringing refreshing energy and ideas to their work, but lacking practical experience. Those involved in recruiting CR staff will be aware of this shortage and that experienced employees are seeking greater career management/development and rapid progression.
Real commitment to the recruitment and training of these promising candidates is needed from top pharma companies. Time and Money must be devoted to refilling the funnel with talent, albeit raw: we cannot rely upon CROs and enlightened companies to fuel this supply. One could even argue that an industry-wide initiative to attract students into university life sciences programmes would be a crucial step to generate interest in a CR career. Shape people's careers while they are still impressionable!
Costs of avoiding this responsibility are obvious: a declining workforce, expensive salary escalation with costs absorbed by all parties, a movement to less expensive markets (India, CCE, Asia Pacific, South America, etc.) and away from UK, western EU and US. A gloomy outlook, but one that can be addressed through collaboration among leading, insightful companies - all with much to gain or lose.
Understandably, with pressures on both human and financial resources throughout the industry, new staff are required to “hit the ground running” and from a client evening held at i3 Pharma Resourcing, ‘The Future Of On-Site Monitoring’, the lack of training and investment in bringing appropriate people into the industry was cited as a major contributory factor to this situation. It was agreed that this was a significant issue to tackle to ensure continued growth in existing markets. For the future of our industry, we MUST develop new CRAs by providing a programme of training and practical experience for appropriately qualified individuals.
Various companies offer such training; your choice may be determined by the amount of training, support and costs from the supplying company.
Without commitment from all sides of our industry, in effect Partnerships In Training, one must ask – “What Future?”
Iain Jessup – Director UK & Ireland, i3 Pharma Resourcing
