‘We Intend to Train 35,000 - 40,000 Students and Professionals Over a Three-year Period'

Pollux Life Science Solutions has been mandated by Life Science Sector Skills Development Council (LSSSDC) established under the Ministry of Skill Development to upgrade skill-sets among emerging pharmacists. Hemant Deshpande, Managing Partner, Pollux Life Science Solutions, shares more details about the mandate, the gap between academia and the industry and his vision to bridge this gap, in a têtê-à-têtê with Lakshmipriya Nair.

Tell us about your partnership with LSSSDC? What does it entail and how would it help build skills in the pharma industry, both in qualitative and quantitative terms?

The Ministry of Skill Development along with stakeholders in the pharma industry had established LSSSDC with the broad objective of skilling aspiring workforce and existing working professionals in the pharma spectrum. We, at Pollux Life Science Solutions, have been affiliated by LSSSDC as their training partner for the state of Maharashtra. We have initiated the process with a set target of 5000 students and professionals to begin with for various roles in the pharma industry, by bringing together academic institutions and the industry on the same platform.

As part of the training module, we will additionally provide intangible, soft skills for candidates in segments of quality control and assurance, production and medical sales representatives, which cover over 70 per cent of the job roles in the pharma space. Apart from bridging the gap between the academia and the industry, we will also upgrade professionals to address modern day challenges of the regulatory and policy makers at the shop floor level.

Reportedly, on a pan-India basis, LSSSDC aims to certify skilled workforce of 21 lakh over the next 10 years. Of that, how many people do you intend to skill in the next three years?