By james art 
The University of Birmingham has been named as the base for the UK’s first Center of Excellence in Pharmaceuticals to address skills shortages in the industry.
The two-year, £4.5 million initiative, known as Resilience, will create and deliver new training courses for industry, the NHS and educational institutions. The programs will focus on key sector priorities, including digital technologies, artificial intelligence, data analytics and environmental sustainability.
UK partner organizations delivering the program include University College London (UCL), Heriot-Watt University, Teesside University and Britest Ltd.
Resilience will use virtual reality technology to provide vital training in laboratory skills and support the NHS’ net zero target to reduce supply chain emissions.
The program is funded by the Life Sciences Office, part of the UK Government’s Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, and will be managed by Innovate UK.
150 schools, colleges and further education centers across the UK will commit to Resilience, with young people able to take part in STEM festivals and provide lab placements.
Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, Lord Patrick Vallance said: “With a turnover of over £108bn, as a provider of over 300,000 jobs across the country and as a source of treatments helping to tackle some of the most debilitating diseases, The life sciences sector is one of the UK’s true industrial champions.
“The work of our drugmakers is critical to the nation’s economic success and health. In order for them to continue to be successful, it is imperative that we help them bridge the skills gaps in the industry.
“This new center of excellence will be an important part of this effort – bringing together industry, universities and the NHS together with schools and colleges to ignite the next generation of talent in the life sciences.”
Professor Ivan Wall, Co-Director of Resilience, added: “The use of VR technology will be central to the project, helping young people to safely learn skills that would be impractical to acquire in the real world due to logistics and capacity.
“It will also help the NHS meet its long-term goal of achieving net zero. 25% of their emissions are in the supply chain, and VR will help the industry achieve net zero drug production.”