Held each year at the NEC in Birmingham in early November, Lab Innovations is one of the UK’s premier laboratory trade shows. Professionals and businesses spanning biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, academia, testing, research, and industrial laboratories gather under one roof to share insights, build lasting connections, and drive the sector forward.
The event empowers organisations to build meaningful relationships and amplify their visibility across the science community. On 4 and 5 November, the Skills4Science team attended in full force, and our Head of Sales (Science and Pharmaceuticals), Jay Crabb, delivered a compelling presentation on the Future of Labs stage:
“A particular highlight for me was the opportunity to deliver a presentation on "Workforce Development Through Science Apprenticeships", exploring how apprenticeships can provide practical, cost-effective solutions to recruitment challenges, help address skills gaps and support businesses in developing the technical talent they need for the future.
It was also incredibly rewarding to engage directly with businesses, listen to their experiences and better understand their current and future workforce needs, particularly around the recruitment, development and retention of skilled technicians.
As we look towards the 2025–2035 technician workforce growth agenda, these conversations are increasingly important. The science industry continues to evolve, and ensuring organisations have access to the right technical skills will be essential to supporting innovation, productivity and future growth.” - Jay Crabb
Beyond our own presentation, the event offered a wealth of industry knowledge and fresh perspectives. Reflecting on the experience, our Events Executive, Naomi Ogundiran, shared:
The presentations taking place were well-spaced throughout the day and offered a fantastic variety of topics. One that stood out in particular was hosted at the Royal Society of Chemistry stage, covering the causes of major pandemics. This was deeply insightful for me and clearly very popular amongst the visitors.
For the entire Skills4Science team, the event provided an exceptional environment for networking and knowledge-sharing, bringing together organisations at every stage of their industry journey.
From a strategic perspective, Lab Innovations 2026 gave us a fantastic platform to:
Raise awareness of our apprenticeship programmes.
Better understand current employer challenges.
Build relationships with potential partners and employers.
Promote apprenticeships as a proven solution to recruitment and skills gaps.
Gather vital market intelligence on emerging workforce needs.
Lab Innovations 2026 reinforced the importance of collaboration between industry, education and training providers to address skills gaps, create accessible career pathways and build a stronger, more sustainable technical workforce.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the event organisers, as well as everyone who took the time to chat, exchange ideas, and share genuine insights during the presentations.
It was a pleasure to meet so many passionate people, hear different perspectives and discuss how we can better support the science industry through practical, affordable and sustainable workforce solutions.