Structural change as an opportunity: project started to qualify skilled workers in biotechnology

As part of the structural change project "Innovation Region Central Germany", eleven projects to design structural change in the region were recently started. This also includes the QualiBioPharma project, which is largely supported in terms of content and financially by the Office for Economic Development and the Department for Employment Policy of the City of Leipzig. The qualification and further training program for laboratory technicians in the pharmaceutical industry aims to cover the existing and growing need for skilled workers in biotechnology companies in Central Germany.

"We are pleased that we will gain more specialists with this project, because our biotechnology companies urgently need qualified laboratory technicians in order to continue to grow. And for international, innovative life science companies looking for a new location, well-trained specialists are another important argument for a positive location decision for the research location Leipzig,” says Clemens Schülke, acting head of the Department for Economics, Labor and Digital Affairs City of Leipzig.

"Not only since the Corona crisis have we been aware of the importance of medical biotechnology for the region and the country. Over a number of years, a remarkable research and development landscape has been successfully built up in this promising industry in Central Germany. QualiBioPharma is an important building block in enabling and supporting the industrial exploitation of the research results achieved,” explains André Hofmann, Managing Director of biosaxony Management GmbH.

Jörn-Heinrich Tobaben, Managing Director of the European Metropolitan Region of Central Germany, is optimistic: “We see structural change as an opportunity. With such educational offers, we want to open up new perspectives on the labor market in Central Germany for the people affected by structural change in Central Germany and thus keep the skilled workers in the region".

In the QualiBioPharma project, the five project partners biosaxony Management GmbH, Fraunhofer IZI, BioSolutions Halle, the TGZ Halle and ATV will develop a qualification program for pharmaceutical industrial laboratory assistants for career changers. The first pilot run is planned for March to May 2022.

About QualiBioPharma

As part of QualiBioPharma, the five project partners biosaxony Management GmbH, Fraunhofer IZI, BioSolutions Halle, TGZ Halle and ATV are developing and testing a specialized training program to open up new perspectives on the labor market in Central Germany for employees from outside the industry who are affected by structural change. This strengthens the regional base of skilled workers in the life sciences industry. In addition, the metropolitan region can strengthen its competitive position as an international location for cell therapy and pharmacy and thus favors new large settlements. The website provides further information https://www.biosaxony.com/projekte/qualibiopharma

QualiBioPharma emerged from the 2nd ideas competition as part of the structural change project "Innovation Region Central Germany" of the European metropolitan region of Central Germany. The project is being funded with 166.000 euros via the model project “Untersuchung Revier” by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). In addition, the project is supported by economic development and the department for employment policy of the city administration of Leipzig.

About the structural change project "Innovation Region Central Germany"

In the project "Innovation Region Central Germany", the European metropolitan region of Central Germany with the districts of Altenburger Land, Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Burgenlandkreis, Leipzig, Mansfeld-Südharz, Nordsachsen and Saalekreis as well as the cities of Halle (Saale) and Leipzig are developing new strategies and projects for structural change in the Region. The project is funded by the federal government, the Free State of Saxony, the State of Saxony-Anhalt and the Free State of Thuringia as part of the federal-state joint task "Improvement of the regional economic structure" (GRW).

Source: Press release biosaxony from June 19.07.2021nd, XNUMX