Queensland Life Sciences Industry Report 2012 (PDF, 3.5MB)

5.2 Total Estimated Life Sciences Industry Employment
Based on the average employment per organisation across all
respondents, it was estimated that 14,106 FTEs were employed
by the 301 Life Sciences companies, universities and research
organisations across the State in 2011. Of those, 8021 were
assumed to be in the Biotechnology sector and 6086 in TMD. The
majority of Biotechnology employees (73%) were assumed to be
employed by research organisations, and almost all employees in
the TMD sector (96%) were assumed to be employed by companies
(Table 20).
TABLE 20: Estimated Queensland-wide Life Sciences Industry
employment 2011
Companies Research
Organisations
Total
Total Life Sciences Industry 8008 6098 14,106
Biotechnology sector only 2150 5871 8021
TMD sector only 5859 227 6086
Numbers may appear inconsistent due to rounding.
Queensland-wide employment estimates were 28.5% lower in
2011 than those in 2009 (Table 21). The majority of employees
were estimated to have been lost from companies. Research
organisations were estimated to have a similar number of FTEs
in 2009 and 2011.
TABLE 21: Estimated Queensland-wide Life Sciences Industry
employment 2005-2011 12
2005* 2007 2009 2011 Change 2009-
2011
All QLS Organisations
Biotechnology
ND 15,569 19,731 14,106 -28.5%
All respondents 5215 7630 9929 8021 -19.3%
Companies 1933 1840 3760 2150 -42.9%
Research
Organisations
TMD
3282 5790 6189 5871 -4.9%
All respondents N/A 7939 9802 6086 -37.9%
Companies N/A ND 9682 5859 -39.5%
Research
Organisations
N/A ND 120 227 89.0%
ND = not determined N/A = not applicable
*Estimates from Queensland Biotechnology Industry – Benchmarking Study
(2003–2005) Innovation Dynamics, Additional Data Report, April 2006. The
basis for these estimates is unknown with only a limited description of the
statistical methodology provided in the report, response rate for this question
was not known but the overall response rate for the survey was 38%, with 32
companies and 26 research institutes participating out of a database of 152.
An analysis of the real employment levels reported by the
52 companies who responded to both QLS surveys (2009 and
2011) supported the conclusion that employment levels fell
overall. 63% of these companies reported the same or lower
employment levels in 2011 vs. 2009 (Figure 3). Those that
reported significant employment growth (e.g. over 100%) were
in the medical devices and equipment, and functional food and
nutraceuticals sub-sectors.
The 30 companies that reported lower levels of employment in
2011 than in 2009 reduced their workforce by an average of 31%
during this period, or a total of 473 FTEs. The 19 companies that
reported employment growth between 2009 and 2011 reported an
average workforce increase of 82%, or a total of 337 FTEs.
Figure 3: Change in employment reported by companies that
responded to both QLS industry surveys (2009 and 2011)
An analysis of the real employment levels reported by the 14
research organisations who responded to both QLS surveys (2009
and 2011) revealed that 58% reported lower employment levels in
2011 vs. 2009, with this group also reducing their workforce by an
average of 31%. The 42% of research organisations that reported
employment growth over this period grew their workforce by an
average of 110%. Overall, among these 14 research organisations,
the change in employment levels between 2009 and 2011 averaged
+28% (median -16%) – data not shown.
In order to provide some context for this study compared to the
Biotechnology survey undertaken in 2007, Figure 4 (overleaf)
shows the projections for employment outlined in a 2005 strategy
document produced by the Government of the day (Queensland
Biotechnology Strategic Plan: 2005–2015). Overlaid onto this is the
estimated employment attributed to Queensland Biotechnology
companies (i.e. excluding research organisations) in 2005, 2007,
2009 and 2011. The estimates for 2011 suggest that companies
in the Biotechnology sector suffered a setback in employment
between 2009 and 2011. An analysis of the Biotechnology company
12 Total population estimates were derived using multiple imputation methods. See section in Appendices entitled ‘Analysis of Primary Survey Data’
for a description of the methodology.
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