Collaborating to grow the human resources potential of the Leiden Bio Science Park

‘We need each other,’ says Human Resources Director Yvette Akkermans. ‘In the coming years, we need to collaborate to create a climate that is attractive to a range of young talent: nurses, researchers, laboratory staff, quality assurance staff, IT specialists, statisticians, and so on. Not just academics, but also people with applied sciences or vocational qualifications.’

Great ambitions

CHDR moved to the LBSP in 1995, having outgrown its first premises close to the Leiden University Medical Center. It was one of the first companies to establish a facility in the LBSP. Since then, the LBSP has grown into a thriving campus where numerous start-ups and supporting companies are located side-by-side with departments of Leiden University and the Leiden University of Applied Sciences, as well as large companies such as Janssen and Hal Allergy/Halix.

Currently, more than 70 drug development companies and services are located in the LBSP, and more companies are moving in all the time. The most recent of these is Bristol Myers Squibb, which will establish a production facility specialising in CAR T-cell therapy. Building on the synergy between companies, research facilities and educational institutions, the LBSP aims to become a focal point for bioscience innovation. ‘Human resources is one of the key issues involved in achieving this,’ says Akkermans. ‘To grow, we need sufficient talent, at all different levels.’

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‘Triple helix’

Attracting and retaining talent is not easy, exacerbated by recent population trends that mean fewer young people entering the job market. Akkermans: ‘We hope to make a difference through cooperation. We call this the “triple helix”: the interaction between companies, educational institutions and local government. By working together in this triple helix, we can create optimal conditions to attract the talent of the future. For instance, we can stimulate vocational colleges and the University of Applied Sciences to align their programmes with the needs of employers, and companies can offer internships and opportunities for practical experience. The local government also has a role to play, for instance by ensuring sufficient housing.’

Akkermans regularly consults with her HR counterparts from other companies in the LBSP and actively participates in a working group focusing on future developments. CHDR also supports joint activities, such as when the LBSP participates in job fairs in the region. Another important new development is that, in addition to university students, CHDR also offers internships for students from secondary and higher vocational education. ‘This concerns a range of careers, from lab technicians and nurses to logistics staff,’ says Akkermans. ‘In this way, we contribute to the cooperation with educational institutions, while also making ourselves more visible as an employer. It’s important to invest not only in our own future, but also in that of the LBSP ecosystem.’