Canada short on biotech workers
Dear friends, this forum has been formed for dicussion regarding the topics related to academics, industry and our field pharmacy. During preparation of my newsletter blog I went through a news which made me feel to discuss here with you all.
Canada short on biotech workers
The news states that Canada's biotech sector is growing, but the country is struggling to find candidates who are "job-ready". According to a new report from BioTalent Canada, which states that the country facing problems in attracting and retaining biotech workers. Despite growth in Canada's biotech sector to 77 % since 1988, there is problem regarding suitable candidates for so many vacancies. The small companies will have trouble attracting venture investments, without experienced workers, & could stifle the whole industry.
I feel that, can't the students of pharma background take on the drive and put their candidature for these jobs? Say for example students with MS/M Pharm (Biotech) have skills required for the industry then can't they fill in the vacancies and help the sector to grow further?
This is my view. What do you feel about this? I await your paricipation in this discussion. I want everyone to participate and represent his/her own view.
Relaxation of Regulations...
Probably, one way of reducing the job vacancy might be to relax or atleast to liberalize the laws regarding immigration of foreign pharma professionals so that they can work directly in Canadian industries after completion of their graduation and post-graduation...Is that feasible?
Improving knowledge base & expertise
Dear Shubranshu, nice to see your comment in this regard. I had a look in this aspect but it proved worthless. And also the comment by Sai made some more points clear. About your point on relaxing the regulations, the government rules are rather more stringent & in bilateral agreements we too will need to give similar freedom to the candidates of other country. As you know the coin has two sides & you can't deny the occurrence of other when it is tossed. So we can't expect that by relaxing the regulations we will be able to improve the situation but yes by improving the knowledge base & expertise we can definitely help the the candidates to excel in field of Biotech or Pharma Biotech in any country they wish to go.
My points focussed rather differently...
Dear Lakshya, probably I might not have been succeed in explaining you my points clearly... What I meant to say was that say an example of NAPLEX which requires a minimum of 5 years of B.Pharm. But in contrast to that we study just for 4 years. So how would a B.Pharm graduate opt the option to work when he is not eligible at all eventhough he is greatly talented and has a great academic and research skill? So relaxing the rules was meant with allowing 4 years B.Pharm graduates though they may put more number of exams to be qualified by those students....I hope this time I could explain you in more lucid manner...
You are really diverting the topic
Here the topic is something to do in Canada. Where 4 years graduation is more than enough to get pharmacist license. Which is nothing to do to get a job in biotech industry.
You are talking about NAPLEX and 5 years ...which is something to do with another country , USA.
Channelizing the discussion
Dear Sai, Thank you for channelizing the discussion to proper route. Many times we get diverted from our main topic of discussion, but a good friend brings back us to our topic of discussion. So I am very happy to see you as a friend helping us to talk the talk we should & you are also helping us to understand the system of education & jobs in Canada & other countries. I will be delighted to see a blog or discussion topic here on PharmIndia about the rules for getting job in US & European countries written by you. So I await your reply.
Oh...I am mistaken...
I think i was carrying out a wrong information that NAPLEX is meant for all over North America...Thank you for the correction....
Students in north america
99 % of the pharmacy gradutes in U.S and Canada go to hospital or community pharmacy positions. So, it is opposite situation to Indian scenario. also, north american pharmaceutical industry is dominated by engineers . You see lots of engineers working in different areas (production, validation, management etc) . You hardly see a pharma gradute working there. Even if you see, that pharmacy gradute might be from India or other country...
That is really strange
Dear Sai, thanks for that information. I really felt strange to read the situation there. In fact in India too we should have some binding to serve the community but I feel that even in industry we need pharmacists. I am surprised that FDA or any governing body has no problems with such issues! At least in the production R&D pharmacists are required but if this situation starts to come to India I am afraid pharmacy courses will have to be shut down.
I mean I am really amazed with this information.
No problem in India
It will not happen india. Our systems are designed in europian (British) model . Where they need pharmacists both in Industry and Community side. Unfortunately in India, laws were not developed in community side ....USA systems are designed with focus on community side support than drug development.
Hope this helps !. At one point, to harmonize with europian union for products exchange, Canada tried to introduce graduation ( any science) is minimum for supervisory category in pharma industry. Because they are the one final reviewers and signing the batch documents. But due to big oppose from generic industries, they backed off after 2 years of trying..Hope this helps !
Ready made candidates
Traditionally Canadian companies give oppertunities to people with "experience" Their terminology is "skilled workers" . They really don't care what is your specialization in your graduation or post graduation. They only care what really "know" and what you can give back to them if they hire you . Degrees and specialization are secondary. It is just opposite to scenario in india....where we get preference by qualifications. For an example, if a science graduate (B.Sc) and Pharmacy Ph.Ds person interviewed for a postion, who ever "know" more & team player will be selected . I have seen PhD from UK , India were turned down and offered postions to gradutes ..just beacuse these graduates really "know" what they are talking....so ...experience counts .... Bye the way in Candian pharma industries , Bsc it self is great qualification. So many directors, Vice presidents are Bsc only.....
Re: Ready made candidates
Thank you for your comment, a long time since your last comment.
You have mentioned a valid point. I too agree that everywhere there should be common platform for all and the most deserving candidate should get the right job.
I do not know a lot about education system in Canada but in fact everywhere the Pharma graduates are facing problems. I posted this topic so as to get views from you all about this topic & also to get suggestions regarding how Pharma Biotech students can get more competent & get better jobs.
I would also like to focus here that some time back Glaxo had posted an add stating the same title of "Skilled workers" instead of managers or production chemist. May be some time we see such adds often here too.
Ofcourse...
Ofcourse Pharma people with Bio-Tech background can fit into those vacancies and can do justice but most of the people are now a days planing to mask their Bio-Tech background by doing Ph.D. in multidisciplinary area.
If they really do know like these better opportunities they can utilize them preferrably...
{eswar} G.S.N.Koteswara Rao
Better opportunities
Dear Eswar, The point you mentioned is also true, but there are candidates who wish to pursue in the field but they don't have the knowhow about it. These opportunities are really good but they can be only explored & utilized when people start to go for them. Now this news was simple news for me but it gave a strong message for many students & such news are there online. What is needed is to search in proper direction & use your knowledge & skills for making best in the field you are. This is what I feel.
Difficulties
I too follow this, but the fact is that most of the biotech pharmacists not having awareness of this kind of opportunities. Other thing, even biotech cariers with good awareness have some hurdles like getting visa and requirements for international procedure to Canada. So we need to consider this and proceed.
It's true
Dear Mohana, the problem you mentioned is true but the reasons are many due to which the Pharma Biotech students don't go for these jobs. In some areas of the industry people don't prefer Pharma students as they lack in the technical aspects, in some cases the students feel why to leave pharma job for biotech. And so many other reasons. But yes despite all these many of the new upcoming research scientists are from Pharma Biotech background and this should inspire many others.
I only discussed this topic here so that the views we have should be presented by all the group members. If they have suggestions or some queries related to topic should be put forth here for discussion. Let's see how many of them give their opinions!
Yes u r right
Dear lucky,
As you said, many industries are not recruiting pharma biotech people, the main reason is that they need to give more salaries to recognize biotech degree. But nowadays industries are awaiting pharm biotechnologist to vanquish competing industries with the help of exclusive pharma people knowledge.