THE county's business community has given its backing to the Kent Science Resource Centre (KSRC), which will deliver Swale's first ever degree-based learning facility.

The CBI in the South East and IoD Kent have both given their backing to the initiative which will enable students eager to enter the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries the opportunity to study for a two-year Foundation Degree in Life Science Laboratory Technology and Bio-Manufacturing.

Malcolm Hyde, CBI South East regional director, said: "The UK has a world class science base, particularly in industries such as pharmaceuticals and bio-technology, and it is critical that this key economic strength is built upon and not allowed to wither.

"The number of jobs in these sectors is set to expand – and we will need skilled people at technician and graduate level to fill them, which is why projects such as KSRC are so important.

"A failure to create the skills would undermine the ability of the UK to compete with other countries in the global economy and companies might be forced to relocate to areas with a ready supply of employees with these skills."

Frazer Thompson, chairman of the IoD Kent, said: "Companies across the county are eager to grow their businesses and are always on the look out for local skilled employees.

"I was particularly pleased to see that the degree course combines lesson-based teaching and laboratory-based learning which is why I’m confident local employers will find this a terrific resource for Kent."

The collaborative project, based at Kent Science Park, will be managed by Sittingbourne Enterprise Hub Ltd (SEHL) and headed up by Paul Walsh, director of SEEDA's Regional Resource Centre for Biotech and Healthcare.