Pharmaceutical Product Development (PPD) is a leading global contract research organisation that provides drug discovery, development, lifecycle management and laboratory services. PDD clients and partners include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, academic and government organisations worldwide.
Based in Athlone, was faced with the issue of fulfilling a skills need within its organisation; sourcing people for additional bio analyst roles. To help source suitable staff for these roles, PPD, an IDA client company, turned to IDA Ireland and other Government Departments and Agencies to help them address
Pilot training and internship programme
To help address this skills need in PPD IDA Ireland, Skillnets, the Department of Social Protection, the Irish Medical Devices Association Skillnet, (with support from ICT Ireland Skillnet), IBEC and the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training came together to design and implement an innovative pilot training and internship programme in PPD for 20 trainees, then on the live register.
The programme was designed to meet the specific skill needs of PDD Athlone. However, it was also a pilot for a new multi-agency skills development model, centred on providing targeted training and placements in IDA Ireland client companies, for persons on the live register with the relevant educational background and/or work experience to be trained to meet the skill needs of specific roles.
The programme comprised of 6 weeks of training in the theory bio analytics and practical bio analytical techniques. This was then followed by a paid 3-month practical placement with PPD in either its Athlone or Brussels operations. The qualification awarded was a level 9 Certificate in Science in Bio Analytics.
PDD Athlone had strong input into the design of the training programme, candidate selection and the format for the subsequent placements. The training and placement programme commenced in October 2014 and was completed by August 2015.
85% conversion rate
As of November 2015, out of the 20 trainees on the live register who commenced the programme, 17 are now in employment, (15 in full-time permanent posts and two on specified-term contracts). That's an 85% conversion rate.
This conversion rate highlights the success of the programme and shows the power of a multi-agency approach to skill development. Several new programmes using the same multi-agency model have been launched in follow up to the PPD Athlone programme.
Maximising recruitment from the Live Register
Since they were launched in 2012, the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work strategies have complemented each other as twin approaches to labour demand and supply respectively.
As part of these strategies, the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices have agreed a protocol that seeks to maximise the recruitment of appropriately skilled persons from the Live Register by enterprise agency client companies.
For more information
Find out more about PPD.
Find out about the key actions in Action Plan for Jobs 2016.
Read the full Action Plan for Jobs 2016 document.
To find out more about labour activation measures that are planned for 2016 see chapter 3 of Action Plan for Jobs 2016.