Pharmaceutical Manufacturing – also referred to as drug manufacturing – is the industrial-scale process involved in the manufacturing and delivery of pharmaceutical drugs by their developers.
There are two main legs to the pharma manufacturing industry: Primary (or Bulk) Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Secondary (or Pharmaceutical) Manufacturing. The first relates to the chemical substance itself, whereas the latter concerns the actual production of the product. Secondary Manufacturing may also take into account the state of the product (solid or liquid).
There is often a cross over between Manufacturing roles and those working within Quality Assurance and Quality Control.
A career within drug manufacturing would be a fantastic opportunity for someone who loves problem solving and comes from an engineering or science background.
Alternatively, an apprenticeship within manufacturing gives young people the opportunity to earn while they learn, developing the skills required by employers. Unlike some other careers within the Pharma industry, it may not be necessary to have a life-sciences (or similar) degree to get your foot in the door here. However, if you are looking to enter this sector with a degree, it’s important you also have some relevant work experience or an industry placement to help your CV stand out from the others.
Many people are drawn to a career within drug manufacturing for the opportunities to work with leading-edge equipment in state-of-the-art facilities. The sector also offers a diverse range of roles to work across, as well as the opportunity to seek roles within other sectors (Regulatory Affairs, Supply Chain, Quality Assurance and Quality Control).
