Medilink EM Patron The University of Nottingham has launched its new Bioinformatics Scientist (MRes) Degree Apprenticeship and is accepting applications for a September 2020 start. The bioinformatics degree apprenticeship programme, which will be predominantly delivered via distance learning, awards apprentices an MRes Bioinformatics.
The University was part of the trailblazing group that designed the Bioinformatics Scientist Apprenticeship Standard. The programme has been created alongside industry to directly address the skills gaps currently present in this area of biological sciences.
Professor Richard Emes, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, University of Nottingham, explains: “The skills needs of the current workforce are rapidly changing and traditional training of students will not translate to the workforce quickly enough. Apprenticeships offer a complementary route to seed bioinformatics and computational biology expertise within UK industry directly.”
The programme is designed to demonstrate state-of-the-art best practices, enabling apprentices to develop the knowledge required to perform a comprehensive analysis of complex biological data. Apprentices will gain the skills to identify bottlenecks and potential shortcomings of certain analysis methods, ensure the validity and reproducibility of analysis and streamline analysis pipelines using modern programming languages.
Dr Adam Blanchard, Programme Director Level 7 Bioinformatics Degree Apprenticeship, said: “Nearly all areas of life science and biological sciences now require big data analysis. The field has developed into an interdisciplinary approach to understanding biological data, incorporating computer science, mathematics and statistics. The current and future of the research in this area relies on these skills and this demand will only increase. Understanding the limitations and best practices ensure the results we are generating are as robust and accurate as possible.”
Apprentices on the programme will be supported by the University’s Digital Research Service and the Advanced Data Analysis Centre. The centre is one of the largest collections of bioinformaticians, data scientists and research software engineers in UK universities and has contributed to securing more than £45 million of research funding since its creation in 2012.
The programme is ideal for scientists working within life sciences who are required to analyse large biological data sets as part of their role. These may be employees who are already working in a bioinformatics role and would like to formalise their skills and knowledge, or biological sciences graduates who are looking to forge a career in bioinformatics.
The programme is also suitable for academic researchers who would like to develop their computational biology skills to aid their research, allowing them to carry out analysis of large datasets in-house.
Degree apprenticeships present an alternative route to degree level qualifications, allowing apprentices to combine their academic studies with work-based learning. There is no cost to the apprentice, as the programme fees are covered by the employer’s Apprenticeship Levy. Non-levy paying employers may be eligible for 95% government co-investment.
Find out more about the course and how you or your business can benefit by visiting www.nottingham.ac.uk/bioinformatics-degree-apprenticeship.
More information is available from Candice Dean at [email protected]; or Charlotte Anscombe, Media Relations Manager for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences in the Press Office at The University of Nottingham, on +44 (0)115 74 84417, [email protected]
This article was written by Medilink EM Patron, the University of Nottingham.
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