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“Do Scientists Undervalue Transferable Skills?”

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“Do Scientists Undervalue Transferable Skills?” THE BIOMEDICAL OPINION OPINION THE BIOMEDICAL 14 SCIENTIST The big question The big question SCIENTIST 15 Lynne Lawrance Matthew Smith Gemma Senior Lecturer in Medical Lead Scientist, Immunology Lace-Costigan Microbiology and Programme Leader North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust for MSc Biomedical Science Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences THE BIG University of the West of England ransferable skills are the technical University of Salford and non-technical abilities we cademic institutions have been develop during a situation or role eveloping the transferable skills working to include transferable T that can subsequently be applied of students is increasingly skills in their programmes because to later events. These are core skills that important if our graduates are A they recognise that not all students employers value highly, and many are D to meet the needs of employers. QUESTION end up in careers directly linked to their part of the foundation of what I believe Science communication and public degree, and the skill set expected by makes a good scientist. engagement skills are important, as employers has expanded. We use communication skills to scientists have the ability to shape the It is a given that students will have discuss findings, share knowledge and public perception of science. And with discipline knowledge, but employers will talk with service users. Problem-solving successful communication, our scientists also want to see team-working skills, the abilities are a prerequisite of being a can help the public make informed ability to work alone and problem-solve, good scientist, forming part of our decisions, and generate support. communication skills and reflective inquisitive nature, as we solve common practice, among others. and complex issues on what often feels Part of the challenge of answering the like an hourly basis! question of whether scientists undervalue Those who work in large or small transferable skills is that there is no laboratories have team-working skills, With successful universally agreed list of what those skills becoming ever more important as are, and those of us who run courses workloads continue to increase and staff communication, make a best guess at what to include, numbers often stay static or reduce. Data because we cannot include everything. skills are ingrained in the role of a scientists can THIS MONTH WE ASK Is presenting a poster a core scientific scientist, from excellent record-keeping skill? Well, yes, if you go in to a research (especially in the brave new world of ISO help the public career, but for a laboratory biomedical 15189) through to undertaking complex make informed scientist, probably not. statistical analyses and developing “Do scientists However, the skill of writing science research skills. decisions in a succinct manner (which is core to Do scientists undervalue transferable creating a good poster) is a valuable skills? No, they don’t. They are built into undervalue skill for those moving up through the the very essence of being a scientist and professional grades, where writing feature heavily during our training, reports or operating procedures becomes continuing professional development a key part of the role. and daily practice. transferable I see scientists give a whole range of We are excellent at developing and opinions on transferable skills, from full nurturing these skills within our buy-in to refusing to see any merit. All I varying scientific fields, but, in my skills?” would ask is that those who don’t buy-in opinion, we are often poor at showcasing also don’t undermine the enthusiasm to the outside world that we possess IMAGE: GETTY/DRAWN IDEAS and efforts of those who do. them in spades..
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