Developing graduate skills for the United Kingdom's commercial life science sector: Experiences from the ORBIS internship programme

Abstract

The United Kingdom's commercial life science sector is dependent on a pipeline of skilled professionals to retain a leading position in a globally competitive sector. Work placements are one of a range of approaches available to support the development of the required graduate-level knowledge, skills and attitudes. This article describes the design, implementation and outcomes of the ORBIS (Overcome Recession: Bioscience Investment in Skills) Bioscience Graduate Internship Programme. ORBIS provided a paid 26-week programme of work-based learning for 60 recent graduates and postgraduates, mentoring partnerships and a series of training days for interns and their line managers focused on known sector skills deficits. The programme was found to positively impact on the skills development and employability of interns, and was broadly welcomed by industry. The programme's outcomes emphasised that work placements must be thoughtfully developed to meet the specific demands of participants and the critical need to provide an adequate quantity of high-quality work placements in order to support the development of key scientific and commercial skills. The findings are of broad relevance to training providers in industry and academia, and educational policy makers.