The science industry is part of the engineering manufacturing, science and mathematics sector, represented by Semta Sector Skills Council. This sector also includes the following industries: automotive manufacture; electronics and electrical equipment manufacture; mechanical equipment manufacture; metals; and transport equipment manufacture. Across the sector as a whole, the workforce comprises approximately 2 million people, working across around 75,000 companies. UK engineering and science turnover is over £250 billion. British engineering exports amount to 37% of total UK exports of goods and services. The UK is Europe’s top location for investment in pharmaceutical and biotechnology research and development.
The science industries comprises pharmaceuticals, manufacture of medical and surgical equipment plus science and engineering research and development, so covers a range of disciplines. This research and development work takes place in a variety of establishments, such as university departments, research based employers or other scientific based employers. Overall, it comprises:
- Research based pharmaceutical companies that discover, develop, market and distribute medication and drugs
- Research and development in pharmaceutical manufacturing companies
- Bioscience companies that are a spin-off from university research departments
- The application of bioscience to produce innovative medicines, therapeutics and medical devices
- The application of bioscience for the processing and production of materials (i.e. the use of bioscience in engineering industries)
- Research and experimental development in bioscience.
Bioscience-related companies tend to be located in clusters (e.g. science parks that are sometimes linked with university hospitals). One of the most significant cluster groups is around Cambridge, Oxford and London. There is also a large cluster in the North West, where there is a long established pharmaceutical industry. In Scotland, clusters are centred around Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. In Wales and Northern Ireland, clusters of companies are centred around the main universities.
Key facts:
- There are an estimated 191,000 people employed in the industry in Great Britain, which includes those involved in research and development with science qualifications, as well as those with other qualifications and job roles that are not science related but are essential to the business.
- There are an estimated 6,490 companies.
- The South East and East of England have the largest Science Industry (Bioscience) employment in the UK.
- 91% of the pharmaceuticals workforce and 88% of the medical devices workforce is full-time.
- Around 6% of those in science occupations are self-employed.
- The workforce has a young age profile.
- Bioscience graduates need to have strengths in chemistry, mathematics and physics, some course are not equipping them with the skills to cope with the cross-disciplinary nature of modern bioscience or the practical aspects of laboratory work.
- Currently, there are insufficient numbers pursuing technical courses, making it difficult for industry to recruit good quality technicians.
Jobs in the industry range from: analytical chemist/scientist, biochemist, biomedical engineer, biomedical scientist, biologist, biotechnologist, clinical scientist, microbiologist, physicist, research scientist, education lab technician, laboratory technicians, medical laboratory assistant, scientific laboratory technician, process/product design engineer and production engineer.
National and regional data
East Midlands – The science industries in the region employ 8,700 people in around 390 establishments. The healthcare sector is important in the region.
East of England – The science industries in the region employ 30,500 people in around 900 establishments. There is a well-established bioscience industry in the region. Cambridge has:
- Over 185 biotech companies
- Around 20% of the world's Nobel Prize winners in medicine and chemistry
- 17 of the UK’s publicly quoted biotech companies
- A quarter of the public biotechnology companies in Europe
London – The science industries in the region employ 20,400 people in around 840 establishments. The following are the key activities of the region: Therapeutics; Contract Research Organisations; Biomedical engineering; Bioinformatics; Bio-nanotechnology; Food, environment and renewable; and Agricultural bioscience.
North East – The science industries in the region employ 7,600 people in around 200 establishments. Healthcare is a leading employer in the region, with over 140,000 people working in biotechnology, healthcare and life science companies, the NHS and associated health organisations. High level medical research is being carried out in the region’s universities and institutes (including the Institute for Ageing & Health, the Life Knowledge Park and many others). There are also strong clinical capabilities within the region’s hospitals.
North West – The science industries in the region employ 17,800 people in around 580 establishments. Several major pharmaceutical companies are located in the region. There is also a rapidly expanding biotechnology community and internationally renowned academic and clinical research strengths. The main types of bio-activity in the region include: Biopharmaceutical manufacture and research; Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine; Treatment of infectious diseases; Clinical trials and informatics; and Cancer research and care.
South East – The science industries in the region employ 49,200 people in around 1,260 establishments. The region has the highest concentration of health technologies companies in the UK. World-renowned universities, medical schools and institutes undertaking pioneering health research are located in the region. 30% of the UK’s life sciences research and development activity is carried out in the South East; 9 out of 10 of the world’s leading life sciences companies; and the top 12 global pharmaceutical companies have operations in the South East.
South West – The South West is a major centre of biomedical research with internationally recognised expertise, employing around 15,500 people in 560 companies. Employment in the sector is growing faster than the national average; there was a 48% increase in employment numbers between 1998 and 2004. The following are key areas of bio-activity in the region: Biomedical; and Healthcare.
West Midlands – The science industries in the region employ 5,300 people in around 420 establishments. A further 500 to 600 companies have also had some recent interest or involvement in medical technologies. Almost half of the activity in the West Midlands is manufacturing related and more than a third service oriented. The region is known for:
- The most advanced ophthalmic surgical centre in the UK, located at The Academy of Life
- Sciences, Aston University
- Creation of the first pacemakers and plastic heart valve
- Development and commercialisation of the first ‘his and her’ home fertility kits
- Trial and development of the first allergy and herpes vaccines
- Concept and development of first ever device to detect skin cancer
Yorkshire and the Humber – The science industries in the region employ 10,800 people in around 450 establishments. Bioscience companies in the region are focused on: entrepreneurial drug discovery and development; tissue engineering and biomaterials; and Plant biotechnology. There are also a number of Contract Research Organisations (CROs). There is a strong presence of pharmaceutical and medical device organisations in the region.
Northern Ireland – The science industries in Northern Ireland employ 3,100 people in around 140 establishments. Northern Ireland’s main focus is on Cancer Biotech and Medical Devices. Other areas of strength are: tissue engineering; diabetes; bioinformatics; clinical trials; neurodegenerative diseases; and infectious diseases.
Scotland – The science industries in Scotland employ 14,300 people in around 480 establishments. Scotland has strengths in most aspects of Bioscience, strong research and development groups and a coordinated policy focus through the Scottish Life Sciences Strategy. Cancer research, Cardiovascular research, Neuroscience, Genomics, Proteomics and bioinformatics, Signal transduction biology, Stem cell research and regenerative technology, Virology, and Immunology are key areas of focus in Scotland.
Wales – The science industries in Wales employ 7,600 people in around 270 establishments. Bioscience enterprise in Wales includes: diagnostics; medical technology; clinical trials and drug development; systems biology; and agricultural biotechnology.
[N.B. Data derived from Annual Business Inquiry, 2008, Northern Ireland Annual Business Inquiry, 2007, and IDBR, 2008.]
