RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Your first consideration when weighing up the value of a Master’s degree should be the return on your investment. Be honest. What are you hoping to achieve from further study? Maybe you’d like to change careers. Perhaps you want to earn more money. Or maybe you’re just fascinated by a particular subject and want to learn more about it as a result. Whatever your goal, do some research and make sure your Master’s degree will help you to achieve it.
NEW SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION
We live in interesting times – where everything, including the pharmaceutical industry, is fast changing to adapt to market needs. If you don’t continue to up-skill you may just get left behind. By completing a Master’s degree, you will not only increase your general knowledge, but it will also allow you to specialise, becoming an expert in your chosen field. When it comes to getting a job, this is all-important. The Innopharma Labs MSc (Masters of Science) programmes, for example, are not only practical, but they also involve both face-to-face and online learning, combined with the use of equipment in a simulated manufacturing environment.
INCREASE EMPLOYMENT POTENTIAL
We all want the best job possible, and by completing a Masters’ of Science degree you automatically give yourself an edge in the competitive employment stakes. This is important in Ireland where the pharmaceutical sector is currently thriving. The 12.5 per cent corporation tax rate, coupled with continued investment in education and innovation continues to be a draw and it looks likely the industry will only expand here in the future.
Those completing the Innopharma Labs MSc programmes typically find themselves preened for positions such as product and process development; engineering, medical device, biopharma and process analytical areas for any of the international pharma/biotech giants.
EARN MORE
Yes, a Master’s degree can dramatically increase your earning potential. If you’re hoping to earn more money, then do some research on the sectors currently experiencing gaps in relation to particular skills or find out which sectors generally lead to employment. Keep an eye out too for trends within the industry. At Innopharma Labs we look at the emerging fields of study in pharma/biotech/medical device industries and develop courses around these so that we have a stream of students ready to tackle these gaps in the industry. Biotechnology and Medical Device industry sectors continue to be major growth segments for example. This gives our students an edge, allowing them to easily find employment, develop their career and increase their earning potential.
CONSOLIDATE YOUR NETWORK
By completing a Master’s degree, not only will you increase your employment potential and your earning capacity, but you’ll also meet like-minded people from your chosen field. As in any industry, the importance of networking in the pharmaceutical/biotech industries should not be underestimated. Making good connections and being known by those who are involved with recruiting for jobs at pharmaceutical companies can support your job applications and increase the likelihood that you will be headhunted for new roles in the future. Particularly as employee referrals account for nearly half of all hires. These referrals don’t just happen instantly; they require significant time to build up a list of good contacts. By growing your contacts, you’ll not only improve your future employment prospects, but you will also keep abreast of trends and news and become an authority in the pharma/biotech sector.
Innopharma Labs offer a range of Masters Courses specifically designed to help you advance your career to the next level. You can find a list of our MSc programmes here.