Biograd Case Study

A Cheshire graduate has credited a skills bootcamp for helping him land a job as a laboratory technician.

Run by local employers, colleges and independent training providers, the 16-week flexible training skills bootcamp programmes help employers recruit people with the right skills, upskill existing staff and give residents the chance to learn sector-specific skills and get a guaranteed interview.

In May this year Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington confirmed it had secured more than £2m in government funding to create a further 640 places on around 40 Skills Bootcamps covering subjects from artificial intelligence and covert surveillance to railway construction.

And today, Joshua Martland, 22 years of age, from Liverpool, urged others to sign up to one after recently being taken on as a lab technician after completing a skills bootcamp.

After completing a three-year pharmacology degree at the University of Chester, Joshua wanted to further enhance his practical skills in readiness for the world of work.

So in July, Joshua embarked on a Laboratory Skills & Biotechnology Skills Bootcamp run by BioGrad Education which provides immersive laboratory and clinical training courses at our state-of-the-art facilities at Liverpool Science Park in Liverpool.

During the 10-day skills bootcamp, Joshua was able to do numerous practical experiments, specifically chosen due to their importance within the field of biotechnology. These ranged from microbiology to Western blot (a laboratory technique that detects specific proteins in a sample) - alongside a presentation session.

Throughout the bootcamp, learners are assessed and get personalised feedback from the lecturers to help participants improve on their current practices.

And Joshua proved such a hit with programme leaders he was offered a job as a  laboratory technician at BioGrad, which based in Liverpool Science Park, is a role he has had for just over two months.

He said: “Doing the skills bootcamp meant I could upskill and enrich the skills I had gained from university to this desired industry level.

“After the course I was contacted about a laboratory technician position, noting that several lecturers from the skills bootcamp had recommended me. I would certainly recommend skills bootcamps. The new improved skills and confidence I had acquired meant I felt more than ready to jump into this scientific position at BioGrad. I have utilised everything I’ve learned to maintain the expected standards throughout every aspect of this position with ease and confidence.”

A representative from Biograd said “We are absolutely delighted to have recruited Josh after he’d attended our Skills Bootcamp course, he’s making a noticeable impact having only being with us for a short time and is a popular member of the Education team. We’d advise all employers to engage with Providers of Skills Bootcamps as the quality of the training that learners have, and the support they have when working on their CV and employability skills, makes a real difference to the quality of potential interview candidate coming through.”

You can find out more and see the full list of skills bootcamps with places HERE.