Minimum Entry Requirements
You need ONE of the following entry requirements:
- The equivalent of a Level 3 qualification (A-Levels or equivalent) or above
OR - The equivalent of a Level 2 qualification (minimum 3 GCSEs including Mathematics and English at Grade C/Grade 4 or above,) AND a recent relevant industry foundation course.
OR - Have taken our Conversion Course into Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
For non-native English speakers, applicants may need to take a Duolingo, IELTS, TOFEL or equivalent language test for this course. See the FAQ at the bottom of the page for more details.
What Starter Level Roles Could I Retrain For?
STEP 1: Take our level 4 “University Certificate in Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Product Manufacturing” course to retrain for entry-level roles. Here are some of the most common job titles we see advertised on our pharma jobs board.
Process Technician – Generally works in a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant. Some companies call this role:
- Cleanroom Operator
- Chemical Process Technician
- BioProcess Technician
- Process Operator
Manufacturing Technician – Generally works in a medical device manufacturing plant. Some companies call this role
- Manufacturing Team Member
- Product Assembler
- Production Technician
- Production Operator
- Manufacturing Operator
Packaging Operators – Works in both pharmaceutical and medical device plants. Some companies call this role:
- Packaging Technician
And for those who have worked in a GMP regulated manufacturing environment e.g. pharma, med device, nutritional, beverage, food or dairy manufacturing.
And for those who have worked in maintenance in another industry sector.
- Maintenance Technician
- Facilities Technician
- Facilities Technologist
Study all the Way to a Degree
STEP 2: Then you can take our level 5 University Higher Certificate in Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Product Manufacturing course to move into more senior roles with a higher salary. Typical roles
- Validation Technician – you work directly for a pharmaceutical company on ongoing projects. (Some pharma companies might call this role: CQV Specialist, Validation Specialist or C&Q Specialist)
- Validation Team Member – you work with an engineering consultancy firm on capital projects. (Some engineering consultancies might also call this role: CQV Specialist, Validation Specialist or C&Q Specialist)
(Note that actual job titles will vary – the key distinction is between who’d employ you and what type of projects you’d work on).
And with more work experience
- Validation Project Manager
- Process Engineer
- Cleaning Validation Specialist
Salaries range from £27,0000 – £45,000 plus overtime, bonuses and allowances. (Based on UK job data).
STEP 3: Take 6 more modules to get a level 6 BSc (Hons) Degree in Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Product Manufacturing
What you’ll learn – There are five modules in this 11 month course
Module 1 – Fundamentals of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (Weeks 1 -8)
This module will give you a broad understanding of pharmaceutical products are made, the rules that govern manufacturing and the guidelines on how these rules are applied along with 6 different risk management tools used.
Module 2 – Advanced Writing Skills (Weeks 9 -12)
This module will give you the written communications skills to properly write reports and reference and cite source material in a manner that is consistent with the professional norms of this industry. It will guide you through the assignment writing process and equip you with the written communication skills you need for working in the industry. You will be completing this module as you write your end of module assignment for PH1S082 Fundamentals of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Technologies.
Module 3 – Pharmaceutical Facility Design (Weeks 13 – 26)
In this module, you will receive a strong grounding in the modern pharmaceutical science and engineering concepts of the environmental controls (air) and clean utility systems design that underpins an aseptic manufacturing facility and the quality systems used in this highly regulated environment to ensure the manufacture of safe and effective medicines for the public.
Module 4 – Advanced Career Coaching (Weeks 27 -30)
This is the career bit. In this module, you’ll navigate your way, step by step, through the job hunting process. We specifically designed and built this module for the pharma and med device sector. By the end of it, you’ll know which jobs you’d be perfect for, where to find them, and how to make applications to give yourself the best chance at success.
Summer Holidays (Weeks 30 to 37)
Module 5 – Fundamentals of Chemistry for the Pharmaceutical Industry (Week 38 – 47)
The aim of this module is to provide a foundation in the general chemistry necessary to appreciate the fundamental concepts involved in the chemistry of APIs required for the manufacture of medicinal products
Are there Pharma Factories and Jobs Near Me?
Check out UK’s Largest Pharmaceutical Jobs Board to see the latest job openings in the UK.
Find out what pharma factories are near you – check out this Factory locator for the UK to see what factories are within a commutable distance for you
Check out this list of 250 pharmaceutical and medical device companies
Common Questions About the BioPharma/MedTech Industry
Why Choose a Pharmaceutical Career?
Job Descriptions and Salaries
GetReskilled Success Stories
Regina McNamara
Previous Background:
Professional Painter
