Paddington Life Sciences chosen to lead delivery of new London-wide Life Sciences Talent Hub 

Paddington Life Sciences – one of WestTech London’s anchor innovation clusters – has been selected by the Greater London Authority to lead the delivery of the new London-wide Life Sciences Talent Hub.

Paddington Life Sciences, which is hosted by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, will bring together employers, educators, healthcare organisations and innovation partners from across London to create clearer and more inclusive pathways into life sciences careers.

The initiative forms part of the Mayor of London’s £3.2 million investment programme to create fair, inclusive and sustainable employment and training opportunities for people across the capital.

The new hub will be delivered in partnership with organisations from across London’s life sciences ecosystem, including White City Innovation District, Knowledge Quarter, SC1 London, Barts Life Sciences and the Inclusive Health and Life Sciences Coalition – helping to ensure training and skills programmes meet the needs of employers while opening up high-quality career opportunities for Londoners.

Dr Suki Balendra, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Paddington Life Sciences, said:
“Securing investment in the Life Sciences Skills Hub is an important step towards building the workforce that our sector needs for the future. It will create more inclusive pathways into life sciences, develop the skills needed for future growth and ensure London remains a globally competitive centre for innovation.”

Jose Acuyo, Head of Strategy, Partnerships & Innovation at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said:
“Our role is to ensure employers can engage more effectively with London’s skills and talent system while helping to build a future workforce that will support innovation, inclusive growth and better health outcomes across the capital.”

Howard Dawber OBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Chair of MedCity, said:
“With £1m funding from the Mayor, this new Life Sciences Talent Hub will deliver vital jobs and training support so that more Londoners, whatever their starting point, can access high-quality career opportunities in this exciting and fast-growing sector.”

This is a significant initiative for London’s world-leading life sciences sector and a fantastic example of how collaborative innovation can be harnessed to drive both economic growth and improvements in public health.