GITNUXREPORT 2025

Upskilling And Reskilling In The Pharmaceutical Industry Statistics

Pharmaceutical industry boosts upskilling, reskilling to drive innovation, retention.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

70% of pharma companies are investing in virtual reality and augmented reality for employee training

Statistic 2

37% of pharma companies are currently developing virtual reality modules for surgical and clinical training

Statistic 3

78% of pharma companies are adopting cloud-based learning management systems to facilitate scalable upskilling

Statistic 4

68% of pharmaceutical companies have increased their investment in employee upskilling programs over the past two years

Statistic 5

45% of pharma employees feel that they lack sufficient skills for digital transformation

Statistic 6

72% of pharmaceutical companies report that reskilling initiatives improve employee retention

Statistic 7

The pharmaceutical industry allocates an average of 3.5% of annual budgets to employee training

Statistic 8

55% of current pharma workers are interested in gaining skills in AI and machine learning

Statistic 9

Only 30% of pharmaceutical companies have fully implemented continuous learning platforms

Statistic 10

60% of pharma firms plan to reskill their workforce to better adapt to regulatory changes

Statistic 11

48% of pharmaceutical companies see upskilling as a critical factor to meet future drug development challenges

Statistic 12

38% of pharma employees have participated in at least one formal upskilling program in the past year

Statistic 13

The global pharmaceutical upskilling market size was valued at $2.3 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% from 2023 to 2030

Statistic 14

52% of pharmaceutical companies report a skills gap in digital health applications

Statistic 15

65% of workforce upskilling efforts in pharma focus on data analytics and biostatistics

Statistic 16

54% of pharmaceutical companies have established partnerships with ed-tech providers to facilitate reskilling

Statistic 17

40% of pharma employees lack access to formal training programs, which hinders upskilling efforts

Statistic 18

58% of companies view upskilling as essential to maintaining competitive advantage in the pharmaceutical industry

Statistic 19

44% of pharma employees say they need more training in regulatory compliance

Statistic 20

80% of pharmaceutical companies have increased the frequency of their employee training sessions over the last three years

Statistic 21

63% of pharmaceutical companies prioritize reskilling in digital therapeutics and telehealth

Statistic 22

Only 22% of pharmaceutical companies measure the ROI of their upskilling and reskilling initiatives effectively

Statistic 23

67% of pharmaceutical workers believe reskilling opportunities are vital for career progression

Statistic 24

90% of pharma executives agree that digital skills are critical for future growth

Statistic 25

49% of pharma organizations are implementing microlearning modules for employee training

Statistic 26

75% of pharmaceutical companies say they will increase their reskilling budgets in the next fiscal year

Statistic 27

43% of pharma employees have received training in bioinformatics

Statistic 28

36% of pharma companies have adopted AI-powered learning platforms for employee upskilling

Statistic 29

50% of pharma firms have developed internal reskilling programs focused on digital manufacturing

Statistic 30

65% of pharma companies indicate a need to reskill for good manufacturing practices (GMP) compliance

Statistic 31

47% of pharma companies use virtual labs for training in laboratory techniques

Statistic 32

41% of pharmaceutical companies offer incentives for employees who complete upskilling programs

Statistic 33

68% of pharma HR managers say upskilling helps reduce onboarding time for new hires

Statistic 34

55% of pharmaceutical companies plan to implement AI-driven personalization in employee learning pathways

Statistic 35

74% of pharma companies believe reskilling is necessary to meet future regulatory standards

Statistic 36

42% of pharma companies have experienced a skills gap in clinical data management

Statistic 37

61% of pharma employers think soft skills should be part of reskilling initiatives

Statistic 38

54% of employees are willing to participate in virtual training programs, indicating high digital adoption

Statistic 39

46% of pharma companies are conducting skills assessments before designing upskilling programs

Statistic 40

52% of pharmaceutical companies plan to expand their online learning offerings in the next year

Statistic 41

63% of pharma leaders believe that reskilling efforts can close the talent gap in biotech and life sciences

Statistic 42

78% of workers in pharma indicate that they prefer flexible learning schedules for upskilling

Statistic 43

69% of pharmaceutical companies include reskilling as a key component of their digital transformation strategy

Statistic 44

56% of pharma organizations are focused on reskilling in pharmaceutical manufacturing to automate processes

Statistic 45

49% of pharma employees see upskilling opportunities as a factor in job satisfaction

Statistic 46

65% of pharmaceutical companies are investing in leadership development as part of reskilling

Statistic 47

54% of pharmaceutical firms see upskilling as essential for adapting to personalized medicine trends

Statistic 48

59% of pharma companies state that reskilling campaigns have helped reduce skill obsolescence

Statistic 49

48% of pharmaceutical firms have adopted e-learning platforms for continuous education

Statistic 50

61% of pharma HR professionals believe that integrating soft skills into technical training improves overall performance

Statistic 51

73% of pharma companies planning to expand digital training cite future workforce needs

Statistic 52

66% of pharma employees desire more cross-functional training opportunities

Statistic 53

80% of pharmaceutical companies report increased participation in online upskilling programs post-pandemic

Statistic 54

70% of pharma companies see upskilling as a way to accelerate innovation in drug discovery

Statistic 55

55% of pharma employers are prioritizing reskilling in cybersecurity to protect sensitive data

Statistic 56

44% of employees believe that digital reskilling can lead to higher salaries

Statistic 57

59% of companies plan to integrate gamification into employee training programs to enhance engagement

Statistic 58

62% of pharmaceutical organizations are planning to increase investment in data literacy programs

Statistic 59

58% of pharma companies intend to reskill workers for the transition to personalized medicine

Statistic 60

57% of pharma firms are adopting AI-based assessment tools to identify skill gaps

Statistic 61

53% of pharma professionals say that reskilling initiatives improve overall organizational agility

Statistic 62

49% of pharmaceutical companies host annual reskilling conferences to foster industry-wide learning

Statistic 63

60% of workers in the pharmaceutical industry would like to see more personalized learning pathways

Statistic 64

69% of pharma companies focus on reskilling for manufacturing process automation

Statistic 65

71% of pharma HR managers believe upskilling reduces turnover rates

Statistic 66

64% of pharmaceutical organizations have increased their use of simulation-based training tools

Statistic 67

43% of pharma employees express interest in mobile learning applications for upskilling

Statistic 68

74% of pharma leaders say that reskilling initiatives should be aligned with digital transformation goals

Statistic 69

67% of companies plan to include soft skill development, such as leadership and communication, in their reskilling programs

Statistic 70

53% of pharmaceutical companies evaluate the success of their upskilling programs via employee performance metrics

Statistic 71

72% of pharma employees believe ongoing education is necessary for long-term career success

Statistic 72

61% of pharmaceutical organizations report a positive ROI from investing in employee upskilling

Statistic 73

54% of pharmaceutical companies are developing specialized training modules for new drug development technologies

Statistic 74

66% of pharma organizations are reskilling staff for advanced manufacturing techniques like continuous processing

Statistic 75

48% of pharma professionals say leadership development is a key part of reskilling efforts

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Key Highlights

68% of pharmaceutical companies have increased their investment in employee upskilling programs over the past two years
45% of pharma employees feel that they lack sufficient skills for digital transformation
72% of pharmaceutical companies report that reskilling initiatives improve employee retention
The pharmaceutical industry allocates an average of 3.5% of annual budgets to employee training
55% of current pharma workers are interested in gaining skills in AI and machine learning
Only 30% of pharmaceutical companies have fully implemented continuous learning platforms
60% of pharma firms plan to reskill their workforce to better adapt to regulatory changes
48% of pharmaceutical companies see upskilling as a critical factor to meet future drug development challenges
38% of pharma employees have participated in at least one formal upskilling program in the past year
The global pharmaceutical upskilling market size was valued at $2.3 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% from 2023 to 2030
52% of pharmaceutical companies report a skills gap in digital health applications
70% of pharma companies are investing in virtual reality and augmented reality for employee training
65% of workforce upskilling efforts in pharma focus on data analytics and biostatistics

With 68% of pharmaceutical companies ramping up their investment in employee upskilling and nearly half of pharma workers feeling unprepared for digital transformation, the industry is undergoing a vital shift that promises to redefine innovation, retention, and competitive advantage in the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

Industry Growth and Investment

70% of pharma companies are investing in virtual reality and augmented reality for employee training

Industry Growth and Investment Interpretation

With 70% of pharma companies investing in VR and AR for training, the industry is clearly injecting a dose of high-tech innovation to ensure employees are future-ready — because in medicine and beyond, seeing is believing.

Technology Adoption and Infrastructure

37% of pharma companies are currently developing virtual reality modules for surgical and clinical training
78% of pharma companies are adopting cloud-based learning management systems to facilitate scalable upskilling

Technology Adoption and Infrastructure Interpretation

With 37% of pharma companies integrating virtual reality for immersive training and 78% opting for cloud-based learning systems, the industry is clearly forging ahead into a future where cutting-edge technology and scalable education are the new medicine for workforce competence.

Workforce Development and Skills

68% of pharmaceutical companies have increased their investment in employee upskilling programs over the past two years
45% of pharma employees feel that they lack sufficient skills for digital transformation
72% of pharmaceutical companies report that reskilling initiatives improve employee retention
The pharmaceutical industry allocates an average of 3.5% of annual budgets to employee training
55% of current pharma workers are interested in gaining skills in AI and machine learning
Only 30% of pharmaceutical companies have fully implemented continuous learning platforms
60% of pharma firms plan to reskill their workforce to better adapt to regulatory changes
48% of pharmaceutical companies see upskilling as a critical factor to meet future drug development challenges
38% of pharma employees have participated in at least one formal upskilling program in the past year
The global pharmaceutical upskilling market size was valued at $2.3 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.4% from 2023 to 2030
52% of pharmaceutical companies report a skills gap in digital health applications
65% of workforce upskilling efforts in pharma focus on data analytics and biostatistics
54% of pharmaceutical companies have established partnerships with ed-tech providers to facilitate reskilling
40% of pharma employees lack access to formal training programs, which hinders upskilling efforts
58% of companies view upskilling as essential to maintaining competitive advantage in the pharmaceutical industry
44% of pharma employees say they need more training in regulatory compliance
80% of pharmaceutical companies have increased the frequency of their employee training sessions over the last three years
63% of pharmaceutical companies prioritize reskilling in digital therapeutics and telehealth
Only 22% of pharmaceutical companies measure the ROI of their upskilling and reskilling initiatives effectively
67% of pharmaceutical workers believe reskilling opportunities are vital for career progression
90% of pharma executives agree that digital skills are critical for future growth
49% of pharma organizations are implementing microlearning modules for employee training
75% of pharmaceutical companies say they will increase their reskilling budgets in the next fiscal year
43% of pharma employees have received training in bioinformatics
36% of pharma companies have adopted AI-powered learning platforms for employee upskilling
50% of pharma firms have developed internal reskilling programs focused on digital manufacturing
65% of pharma companies indicate a need to reskill for good manufacturing practices (GMP) compliance
47% of pharma companies use virtual labs for training in laboratory techniques
41% of pharmaceutical companies offer incentives for employees who complete upskilling programs
68% of pharma HR managers say upskilling helps reduce onboarding time for new hires
55% of pharmaceutical companies plan to implement AI-driven personalization in employee learning pathways
74% of pharma companies believe reskilling is necessary to meet future regulatory standards
42% of pharma companies have experienced a skills gap in clinical data management
61% of pharma employers think soft skills should be part of reskilling initiatives
54% of employees are willing to participate in virtual training programs, indicating high digital adoption
46% of pharma companies are conducting skills assessments before designing upskilling programs
52% of pharmaceutical companies plan to expand their online learning offerings in the next year
63% of pharma leaders believe that reskilling efforts can close the talent gap in biotech and life sciences
78% of workers in pharma indicate that they prefer flexible learning schedules for upskilling
69% of pharmaceutical companies include reskilling as a key component of their digital transformation strategy
56% of pharma organizations are focused on reskilling in pharmaceutical manufacturing to automate processes
49% of pharma employees see upskilling opportunities as a factor in job satisfaction
65% of pharmaceutical companies are investing in leadership development as part of reskilling
54% of pharmaceutical firms see upskilling as essential for adapting to personalized medicine trends
59% of pharma companies state that reskilling campaigns have helped reduce skill obsolescence
48% of pharmaceutical firms have adopted e-learning platforms for continuous education
61% of pharma HR professionals believe that integrating soft skills into technical training improves overall performance
73% of pharma companies planning to expand digital training cite future workforce needs
66% of pharma employees desire more cross-functional training opportunities
80% of pharmaceutical companies report increased participation in online upskilling programs post-pandemic
70% of pharma companies see upskilling as a way to accelerate innovation in drug discovery
55% of pharma employers are prioritizing reskilling in cybersecurity to protect sensitive data
44% of employees believe that digital reskilling can lead to higher salaries
59% of companies plan to integrate gamification into employee training programs to enhance engagement
62% of pharmaceutical organizations are planning to increase investment in data literacy programs
58% of pharma companies intend to reskill workers for the transition to personalized medicine
57% of pharma firms are adopting AI-based assessment tools to identify skill gaps
53% of pharma professionals say that reskilling initiatives improve overall organizational agility
49% of pharmaceutical companies host annual reskilling conferences to foster industry-wide learning
60% of workers in the pharmaceutical industry would like to see more personalized learning pathways
69% of pharma companies focus on reskilling for manufacturing process automation
71% of pharma HR managers believe upskilling reduces turnover rates
64% of pharmaceutical organizations have increased their use of simulation-based training tools
43% of pharma employees express interest in mobile learning applications for upskilling
74% of pharma leaders say that reskilling initiatives should be aligned with digital transformation goals
67% of companies plan to include soft skill development, such as leadership and communication, in their reskilling programs
53% of pharmaceutical companies evaluate the success of their upskilling programs via employee performance metrics
72% of pharma employees believe ongoing education is necessary for long-term career success
61% of pharmaceutical organizations report a positive ROI from investing in employee upskilling
54% of pharmaceutical companies are developing specialized training modules for new drug development technologies
66% of pharma organizations are reskilling staff for advanced manufacturing techniques like continuous processing
48% of pharma professionals say leadership development is a key part of reskilling efforts

Workforce Development and Skills Interpretation

With 68% of pharma companies boosting upskilling investments and 90% recognizing digital skills as key to future growth, the industry's push to reskill — despite lingering gaps and uneven platform adoption — underscores that in pharma, staying static is no longer an option; it's a prescription for obsolescence.