Talent show: Where to find help to attract the best in medtech

Lu Rahman looks at recruitment in the medtech sector and where to find help attracting top talent for your business.

The medtech sector is all about innovation. And this requires talent.

According to the Office of Life Sciences, the UK medtech sector contains 2,730 businesses, employing 97,600 people. 81% of these are SMEs. In Ireland the sector employs around 40,000 people.

The concept, design and manufacture of medical technology is demanding, requiring skilled individuals. From the type of materials used, to human factors considerations to incorporating digital technology – it is vital that medtech companies have the best talent at their fingertips. The fact that the market continues to grow – Forbes says the figure will exceed $500 billion by 2021 - means that businesses need to stay ahead of manufacturing trends and developments, and do this through their workforce. This isn’t necessarily a straightforward task. Companies not only have to find talent but they have to retain it also.

It’s important that any potential employee has received the right training. There are currently around 17 universities offering medtech degrees in the UK. In Ireland, University College Dublin is one of around five institutions that offer similar training. But what about further down the line? Finding the right person to take responsibility for a complex medical device, can be a drawn-out process. Not only are you looking for a highly skilled professional but one who has a decent un understanding of the market and its regulatory framework.

There are companies that can help with the recruitment process. Ryan Luckman, director and meditech team leader at FMC Global Talent says: “The market for RA talent right now is very candidate driven. Demand has spiked and supply can’t keep pace, so the price in the market has gone up. More and more professionals are having their heads turned by higher basic salaries, lucrative contracting roles and fixed-term contracts over permanent ones. 

“In a period where having regulatory affairs specialists is crucial, companies can’t afford to lose their talent to competitors.  

“Manufacturers need to think outside the box to retain and attract candidates so that they can deal with the increased workload brought in because of the MDR.”

RBW Consulting specialises in life science recruitment, working globally with both small and large companies.

RBW clearly has its eye on industry momentum and understands the competitive nature of its markets. With this is mind it offers a screening process that focuses on the technical requirements of a role as well as the personality fit and behaviours needed to fit into a team and the wider organisation.

SRG Talent prides itself on being a STEM recruitment agency that puts people first, creating ‘meaningful human connections that empower individuals and businesses alike to shape tomorrow’s world’.

The company applies specialised industry knowledge to science, clinical and engineering jobs and talent solutions. It also recruits across the product life cycle, covering scientific research and technology, clinical trials, manufacturing and engineering disciplines.

SRG’s website is full of highly useful information including a piece on ‘How to Attract Top Talent Through Diversity’.

It content on skills is particularly strong: “Skill shortage is a hot topic, especially in a highly skilled industry such as STEM. Although it is estimated that the amount of STEM roles will double over the next 10 years, hiring the required talent can be challenging. The UK government’s 2017 industry strategy white paper reported that 40% of employers said a shortage of STEM graduates was a key barrier in recruiting appropriate staff. STEM Learning found that, 400 HR directors that rely on staff with STEM skills, experience several hiring problems: seven out of ten said it was difficult to hire staff with required skills in 2017; nine out of ten said that recruitment is taking 31 days longer than expected; 48% look overseas for the right talent.”

SRG Talent says that diversity can help with STEM recruitment challenges by opening up the recruitment pool allowing more access to talent.

There is plenty of recruitment expertise on offer for the medtech market enabling SMEs to access the skills and keep them in the business longterm.