WHY PHARMA NEEDS A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO BUILDING CAPABILITY

Pharmaceutical organisations face an unusual learning challenge. Their employees are often highly educated, technically accomplished and accustomed to working with complex information. Yet developing the capabilities needed to succeed in the industry involves much more than acquiring scientific knowledge.

Drug discovery and development depend on collaboration across disciplines, effective decision-making and the ability to balance scientific ambition with operational, regulatory and commercial considerations. These requirements become particularly important as scientists progress into broader project and leadership roles.

For L&D teams, this creates a challenge that isn't always well served by conventional approaches to training.

Scientific expertise is only part of the picture

Pharmaceutical companies employ people with extraordinary specialist knowledge. A scientist might spend years developing expertise in molecular biology, pharmacology or toxicology, becoming highly accomplished within their particular discipline.

However, progressing into roles with wider responsibilities often requires a different combination of capabilities. Scientists moving into project management or leadership positions, for example, may need to understand how different scientific functions contribute to drug discovery, evaluate competing priorities, manage uncertainty and communicate effectively with colleagues from other disciplines.

These capabilities don't replace scientific expertise. They enable people to apply that expertise within the wider context of pharmaceutical research and development.

This distinction is important because the learning challenge isn't necessarily a lack of knowledge. It's often about helping people develop the judgement, confidence and broader understanding needed to make effective decisions.

The complexity of drug development

Drug development involves considerable scientific uncertainty, lengthy timelines and significant investment. Decisions made during early research can influence the direction, cost and feasibility of a programme years later.

According to the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), developing a new medicine typically takes 10–15 years, reflecting the complexity of moving from initial research through clinical development and regulatory approval.

This environment places particular demands on the people involved. Scientists must understand not only the technical requirements of their work, but also how their decisions affect other functions, project milestones and ultimately the potential development of a medicine.

A learning programme focused exclusively on scientific content may therefore overlook some of the capabilities that make the greatest difference to performance. Understanding when to involve colleagues, how to evaluate risk and how to communicate uncertainty can be just as important as understanding the underlying science.

Learning needs to reflect scientific reality

One of the risks of generic training is that it can oversimplify the environment in which people work.

A conventional leadership course might explore decision-making through straightforward business scenarios. However, scientific decisions frequently involve incomplete evidence, competing hypotheses and uncertainty about what the available data actually means.

Effective capability building should reflect these conditions. Scenarios need to be scientifically credible, decisions should involve realistic trade-offs and participants should be encouraged to explain their reasoning rather than simply identify a predetermined correct answer.

This doesn't mean every learning activity needs to reproduce the full complexity of drug discovery. It means the learning should preserve the factors that make the decisions meaningful.

For experienced scientific audiences, credibility matters. If a scenario feels unrealistic or ignores important scientific considerations, learners may struggle to see its relevance to their work.

Developing capability across functions

Another distinguishing feature of pharmaceutical capability building is the importance of cross-functional understanding.

Drug discovery and development require contributions from multiple scientific and operational disciplines. While individuals don't need to become experts in every function, they do need to understand how those functions interact and why different perspectives matter.

Capability programmes can create opportunities to explore these connections through collaborative workshops, realistic project scenarios and discussions involving subject matter experts from different disciplines.

The objective isn't to turn specialists into generalists. It's to help them recognise when other expertise is needed and make better decisions as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Building capability over time

Complex scientific and professional capabilities rarely develop through a single learning intervention. They require opportunities to build understanding, practice applying it and reflect on experience.

A structured programme might combine digital learning to establish foundational knowledge with face-to-face workshops that explore complex decisions. Participants can then apply their learning through workplace activities, discussions with colleagues and further opportunities for feedback.

This approach is particularly relevant when preparing scientists for broader responsibilities. Leadership, stakeholder management and strategic decision-making all benefit from repeated application in different situations.

The wider workforce challenge reinforces the importance of developing existing talent. Skills England's 2026 life sciences assessment estimates that demand for priority occupations could increase by approximately 66,000 jobs between 2025 and 2035, with 73% of those occupations already experiencing critical or elevated demand.

For pharmaceutical organisations, developing capability is therefore closely connected to workforce planning, talent development and long-term organisational performance.

Designing learning that respects the audience

Perhaps the most important consideration is recognising who the learners are.

Experienced scientists don't need complex information made artificially simple. They need learning that respects their expertise while helping them develop capabilities beyond their existing specialism.

That requires close collaboration between instructional designers, scientific subject matter experts and the organisation commissioning the programme. Together, they need to identify the performance requirements, establish the appropriate scientific depth and create learning experiences that feel authentic.

Pharmaceutical capability building isn't necessarily about delivering more technical content. It's about helping highly capable people apply their expertise more effectively within an increasingly complex environment.

Frequently asked questions

Why is capability building different in the pharmaceutical industry?

Pharmaceutical roles often combine specialist scientific expertise with complex decision-making, regulatory considerations and cross-functional collaboration. Capability programmes need to reflect these requirements through scientifically credible learning experiences and opportunities for practical application.

What capabilities do pharmaceutical scientists need beyond technical expertise?

Depending on their role, scientists may need to develop project leadership, communication, stakeholder management, risk assessment, decision-making and cross-functional collaboration skills alongside their specialist scientific knowledge.

Why are realistic scenarios important in pharmaceutical training?

Realistic scenarios help scientists practice decisions that involve uncertainty, incomplete evidence and competing priorities. They also make learning more relevant to the challenges participants encounter in their roles.

Can digital learning support pharmaceutical capability building?

Yes. Digital learning can establish scientific knowledge, explain complex processes and provide opportunities for scenario-based practice. It can be particularly effective when combined with workshops, feedback and workplace application within a broader capability programme.