The life sciences sector continues to operate in an environment defined by regulatory pressure, technical complexity, and rapid change. For professionals working across pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals, ATMPs, and medical devices, training is no longer optional—it is a critical enabler of performance, compliance, and confidence.

In last year’s Educo Life Sciences Training Report, we explored the motivations driving professionals to invest in training and highlighted a clear shift towards practical, role-specific learning. With the addition of the latest 2025 feedback data, we can now assess how those trends have evolved—and, in many cases, intensified.

This updated report looks at what has changed since last year, what has remained consistent, and what the data tells us about how professionals are navigating the realities of their roles in 2026.

How the Data Was Collected

The insights in this report are drawn from post-course feedback surveys completed by delegates attending Educo Life Sciences training between 2021 and 2025. One key question forms the foundation of this analysis:

“What are your reasons for attending training with Educo?”

Respondents were able to select multiple motivations, providing a realistic picture of how and why professionals engage with training.

The 2025 dataset adds a further layer of insight, allowing us to identify emerging patterns and shifts compared with previous years.

81%

Attend Training to Gain Skills in Their Current role

This is Up From

77% in 2024

Role-Critical Skills Remain the Primary Driver — and the Signal Is Stronger Than Ever

The most consistent and dominant motivation across all five years remains:

“To gain specific skills for my current job/role.”

In 2025:

• 81% of respondents selected this reason
• Matching the peak seen in 2023
• Up from 77% in 2024

This confirms a trend that is no longer emerging—it is firmly established. Professionals are attending training with a clear and immediate purpose: to perform their current role effectively.

What has changed since last year is not the direction of this trend, but its reinforcement. Training is increasingly viewed as a problem-solving tool, used to address real challenges such as:

• Interpreting regulatory requirements
• Implementing new processes
• Supporting audits and inspections
• Managing technical risk
• Making confident decisions in regulated environments

The data shows that learning is now tightly coupled to day-to-day responsibilities, not abstract career development.

39%

Attend Training to Keep Up to Date With New Regulations

Up From

34% in 2024

Regulatory Pressure Re-Emerges as a Key Motivation in 2025

One of the most notable shifts in the latest data is the renewed rise in regulatory-driven training.

In 2025:

• 39% of respondents cited keeping up to date with new regulations
• Up from 34% in 2024
• Reversing a slight dip seen in 2023

This increase reflects the reality facing life sciences professionals today. While major regulatory frameworks may no longer be “new”, their practical implementation, interpretation, and enforcement continue to evolve.

As organisations move deeper into:

• EU MDR and IVDR compliance
• Regulatory updates in ATMPs
• Post-market surveillance obligations
• Inspection readiness
• Lifecycle management expectations (new filing variations regulations in Europe)

Individual professionals are increasingly accountable for regulatory outcomes. Training is therefore being used not just to understand regulations, but to reduce compliance risk and personal exposure.

Compared with last year, regulatory learning has become less about awareness and more about confidence and defensibility.

Only 3% Attend Training as it is Part of a Structured Learning and Development Plan

No internal Training Provided Remained High at 26% – It Has Grown Year on Year From 9% in 2021

Internal Training Gaps Are Widening — A Critical 2025 Insight

Perhaps the most important structural insight from the 2025 data is the continued rise in respondents stating:

“No internal training provided on the topic.”

In 2025:

• 26% selected this option
• The highest level recorded across all five years
• Up from 25% in 2024 and 19% in 2023

This highlights a growing mismatch between:

• The complexity of modern life sciences roles
• And the capacity of internal training functions to support them

As technologies, regulations, and expectations evolve, many organisations struggle to provide:

• Specialist technical depth
• Timely updates
• Role-specific regulatory interpretation

As a result, professionals are increasingly turning to external expert-led training to fill these gaps. Compared with last year, this trend has become more pronounced, reinforcing the role of specialist providers in supporting industry capability.

Learning from Experienced Professionals Continues to Be Highly Valued

Despite increased access to online content, guidance documents, and digital tools, the desire to learn from experienced professionals remains strong.

In 2025:

• 46% of respondents selected this motivation
• Consistent with previous years

This confirms that in regulated industries, context and experience matter. Professionals value trainers who can:

• Translate guidance into practice
• Share real-world examples
• Explain regulatory expectations beyond the written text
• Discuss how decisions are viewed by authorities and auditors

Compared with last year, this reinforces an important message: technology may support learning, but it does not replace expert interpretation and discussion, particularly in high-risk environments

Future-Focused Upskilling Remains Secondary to Current-Role Performance

The motivation “to gain skills for a future job or role” remains relatively stable in 2025 at 24%.

This suggests that while career development is still relevant, it is increasingly secondary to the immediate demands of current roles. In a challenging market, professionals appear focused on:

• Staying effective
• Remaining compliant
• Demonstrating value in their existing positions

Compared with last year, this confirms a broader shift towards defensive upskilling—maintaining competence and relevance—rather than purely aspirational career planning.

Personal Development Plans Continue to Play a Minor Role

One trend that has not changed is the very low proportion of respondents citing formal learning and development plans as a motivation.

In 2025:

• Only 3% selected this option

This indicates that most training decisions are:

• Needs-driven
• Often urgent
• Initiated by individuals rather than structured HR frameworks

Compared with last year, this further reinforces the importance of flexible, accessible training that responds to real-world challenges rather than long-term planning cycles.

Professionals Continue to Take Ownership of Their Learning

Manager-requested training remains relatively stable at 13% in 2025, consistent with previous years.

This suggests that the majority of delegates continue to self-initiate training, recognising personal responsibility for:

• Technical competence
• Regulatory understanding
• Professional credibility

Compared with last year, this trend remains unchanged but significant: learning decisions are increasingly made by individuals who understand the risks and expectations of their roles.

What Has Changed Since Last Year — And Why It Matters

When viewed alongside previous data, the 2025 results show a sector that is not fundamentally changing direction, but becoming more focused, more pressured, and more pragmatic.

Key shifts since last year include:

• A renewed rise in regulatory-driven learning
• A widening gap in internal training provision
• Continued emphasis on role-critical, immediately applicable skills

Together, these trends point to a professional audience that is:

• Highly motivated
• Time-poor
• Risk-aware
• Seeking trusted expertise to navigate complexity

Looking Ahead to 2026

As we move further into 2026, the data suggests that successful training will continue to be defined by:

• Practical relevance
• Expert delivery
• Regulatory context
• Flexibility in format and timing

For life sciences professionals, training is no longer about ticking boxes—it is about staying effective, compliant, and confident in roles that carry increasing responsibility.

At Educo Life Sciences, these insights continue to shape how we design and deliver training—ensuring it remains aligned with the real challenges professionals face today.

Written by Alexander Pearce

Alex is a Director at Educo Life Sciences and has extensive experience designing technical training programmes for the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical devices industries. He has developed both classroom and online training to support the development of life science professionals.