Strengthening the UK’s Medicines Manufacturing Workforce: RESILIENCE’s UK‑Wide Apprenticeship Week Round‑Up
National Apprenticeship Week 2026
National Apprenticeship Week 2026 provided a powerful platform for RESILIENCE, the UK’s Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence, to showcase the impact, ambition, and momentum behind apprenticeship programmes across devolved nations. With the medicines manufacturing sector evolving at pace, the different focus each week highlighted how apprenticeships are building a resilient, future‑ready workforce capable of supporting the UK’s global leadership in life sciences.
Northern Ireland (NI)
RESILIENCE partners shone a spotlight on advanced therapy, digital, manufacturing, and quality‑focused apprenticeship pathways. Employers, such as Almac, and various colleges emphasised how apprenticeships are helping organisations respond to rapid innovation cycles, regulatory expectations, and the growing demand for skilled technicians and operators. RESILIENCE attended Southern Regional College big apprenticeship event and met hundreds of people interested in apprenticeships. During the week, RESILIENCE also launched its new NI apprenticeship poster for medicines manufacturing.
Across England and Wales, the focus was on higher‑level skills, T-Levels and progression routes. Degree apprenticeships in bioprocessing, regulatory science, and digital technologies demonstrated how industry and academia are collaborating to develop talent with the strategic, technical, and operational capabilities needed for modern medicines manufacturing.
Case studies, from Pharmaron, Analysis Scientific Ltd and Mid-Kent College highlighted apprentices contributing to process optimisation, automation projects, and the next generation of leaders engaging with Resilience’s Leadership Accelerator programme. The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult’s Advanced Therapy Apprenticeship Community (ATAC) also delivered a ‘careers café’ promoting the wide-range of pathways and apprenticeships available to upskills or recruit new talent.
SCOTLAND
Scotland celebrated innovation in biologics, vaccine manufacturing, and green skills and held an Apprenticeships Awards to start the week. Apprenticeship programmes aligned with national priorities demonstrated how Scotland is strengthening its medicines manufacturing resilience through investment in people, technology, and sustainable production practices. RESILIENCE published an Scottish Apprenticeships Overview poster for Medicines Manufacturing.
“[Apprenticeships] allow us to develop future talent in a structured, purposeful way, ensuring that individuals gain practical, real-world experience alongside formal learning.” Callum Watson
Across all four nations, one message was clear: apprenticeships are essential to securing the UK’s medicines manufacturing capability. RESILIENCE’s work throughout the weeks demonstrated how coordinated skills development, strong partnerships, and a commitment to talent at every level are building a workforce ready to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.