ABSTRACT
Recent reports from the Higher Education Careers Service Unit identify that approximately 45% of employers feel that scientific graduates lack the appropriate skills. While the Government White Paper: Skills for Jobs has clearly identified a skills gap impacting the country economically. To address these problems, degree courses need to be structured to match employers’ needs to increase the number of quality applicants available for recruitment. This is especially important since the interest in STEM courses with clear career pathways is expected to increase after the Covid-19 pandemic.
In biomedical science the only approved method of study to become a Biomedical Scientist is by attainment of an IBMS accredited degree or equivalence. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) thrive with a diverse teaching staff. The inclusion of practitioners to create module content in a real-world, clinical context complements the efforts of colleagues with a traditional academic research approach. This collaboration is a critical component of developing an accreditable course. The recruitment of graduates at a local and national level can be stifled if a local HEI does not offer an IBMS-accredited degree; accreditation is typically only approved for courses with direct practitioner involvement.
