National Research Staff Association of the UK: notice board entry
This is a public group
London Biotechnology Network
- Posted by:
- John Bothwell (group admin)
- Date:
- 26 February 2007
- Comments:
- 2 comments
For all you budding Alan Sugars out there, I’ve had a flyer for the London Biotechnology Network
Addressing London’s Assets and Hurdles in Life Science Sector Development
London trains some 39,000 life science and healthcare-related graduates and PhDs each year. Far exceeding the North West region, its closest comparable. This provides a very exciting opportunity for London’s companies, researchers, HEIs and other stakeholders if they wish to grasp the opportunity.
Leveraging the successful track record of the London Biotechnology Network, Career Track will undertake a range of activities to address:
· Skills gaps seen by London’s life science companies when recruiting staff at all levels
· Hurdles faced by London’s life scientists when seeking employment in the life science sector, whether as scientists, in roles away from the laboratory bench and those bio-entrepreneurs wishing to start their own companies.
· Business creation through ensuring London’s bio-entrepreneurs are well connected to the research, investment, professional services and management pools London now has to offer in this sector.
· The Academia-Industry interface will be enhanced through London’s emerging career academics acquiring a better understanding of the issues their potential industrial partners/sponsors face. A properly networked London life science cluster in the proposed here will lead to an increase in the quantity and quality of later interactions at this interface.
· Diversity of London’s life science sector will be targeted through specific goals of engagement with those communities under-represented currently.
Activities of LBN Career Track
The above goals will be achieved through a combination of the following activities that will be delivered by LBN:
· Bio-Business Taster Evenings: Run very much on the model of current Bio-Wednesdays but selecting topics and targeted promotional strategies that provide young scientists and entrepreneurs with the opportunity to acquire the wider skills often deemed as lacking by employers
· Mentoring: rather than recruit researchers onto full training courses, although some may wish to pursue these after an introduction to the sector, LBN Career Track will link those commencing their career paths with industry and academic leaders in their sphere of interest. The target would be that the pair will meet, perhaps over lunch/dinner, a minimum 4 times a year to discuss what additional skills the younger professional should acquire, who else the mentor could introduce them to and general discuss career paths and options
· Employment Exchange: The opportunity for member employers and potential employees to be brought together through exhibition and presentation at events and an on-line section of the LBN web site
· Careers Conference: Together with the key partners, Nature a stand alone conference promoting career choices for life scientists will be developed in London in 2007.
To find out more about LBN Career Track and how you can get involved in one of the most vibrant life science communities in the world, contact Tony Jones on tjones(at)london-first.co.uk
More details on the conference mentioned in the penultimate line above can be found on www.thesourceevent.com
The Source Event, hosted by naturejobs and LBN, will take place on 21 Sept 2007 at Savoy Place in London. Registration is FREE. The event will be split into a dynamic and exciting exhibition with plenary conference and workshop sessions running alongside the event. The Source Event will promote the UK and Europe as a great place to pursue a career in science, be it in industrial research, research organisations or academia. It will present the best opportunities from the best organisations: public, private, national and international. Jobseekers will be able to meet with potential employers who are offering hundreds of genuine vacancies. Our plenary and workshop sessions will provide a unique opportunity to meet high profile scientists and gain careers information and advice.
See you there!
Another LBN event occurring sooner…
BUILDING A RESEARCH CAREER IN THE BIOPHARMA INDUSTRY
17.00 – 19.00 hours Thurs 29 March 2007
The first LBN Career Track event will be hosted by Kings College London.
LBN have launched the Career Track initiative in response to:
>Feedback from scientists that they are unsure what different career options offer; what other skills they could acquire whilst studying that will aid their job search and how can they get to meet potential employers; and
>Feedback form companies that technically first rate job applicants are often unaware of their range of career options, lack knowledge of what is happening in the industry and have had little career advice from experienced leaders within the sector.
Our belief is that the above gaps are best filled through people contact Short biographical insights form someone who has been there and done it, one-to-one discussions over a drink and a more tailored mentoring relationship can all help transfer knowledge of what can be achieved and how. These events are designed to bring together those seeking to develop their careers in biotech with those already experienced and willing to offer advice and maybe seeking to access one of the richest labour pools in biomedical research as they identify potential employees.
Program:
16.45 – Registration and name badge collection
17.00 – Welcome by Host
17.05 – Introduction to LBN Career Track by Tony Jones, Director of London Biotechnology Network,
17.10 – Life as a research scientist in large Pharma
17.20 – Life as a researcher in a small biotech company
17.30 – Working with industry but staying in academia
17.40 – Q&A session with all speakers
Career Track events are free of charge to academics and LBN members but do require advance registration in order to ensure we can accommodate all delegates, comply with HSE regulations and cater accordingly.
Full details will be confirmed in due course however to register for the event, please email Tony Jones at tjones [ at ] london-first.co.uk as soon as possible to ensure you don’t miss out.