- Published:
- Wednesday 18 December 2024
The Allan Labor Government is supporting the state’s medical researchers to drive the next generation of medical breakthroughs with a new Workforce Action Plan.
Minister for Medical Research Ben Carroll this week launched Victoria’s Health and Medical Research Workforce Action Plan, to build a more diverse, secure and highly skilled workforce, backed by almost $3 million in funding.
The Workforce Action Plan will improve education and career pathways, support attracting and retaining talent, foster job security, build skills and improve diversity and inclusion to ensure Victoria’s medical research sector continues to be the best and brightest.
As part of the initiative, the Labor Government have announced 13 early to mid-career medical researchers who will share in almost $1 million under the Fostering Achievement in Research (FAIR) Fellowships program.
The FAIR Fellowships program is a key part of the Action Plan, supporting early-career medical researchers in Victoria who previously missed out on the Federal Government’s National Health and Medical Research Council funding.
Early and mid-career researchers across Australia currently face a competitive grant pool with only a 10 to 15 per cent success rate. The Fellowships acknowledge this challenge and supports researchers in continuing their valuable work – retaining talented people in the workforce and continuing professional development.
The Fellowships also strengthen diversity and inclusion in Victoria’s medical research sector by prioritising women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, the LGBTQIA+ community and researchers who have faced career disruptions.
Victoria is a leader in medical research, with 18 medical research institutes and 11 universities. The medical research sector employs more than 30,000 people including scientists, clinicians and support staff and is responsible for over 40 per cent of Australia’s research output in medical and health sciences.
The Government’s record investment of more than $1 billion in medical research over the last decade has cemented Victoria as a global hub for medical research, driving incredible breakthroughs in treatment and patient care.
To read the Health and Medical Research Workforce Action Plan, visit https://djsir.vic.gov.au/medical-research-workforce-actionplan
Quotes attributable to Minister for Medical Research Ben Carroll
“Victoria is a world leader in medical research because of our dedicated and talented workforce. With continued support for our early to mid-career researchers, we can continue to advance healthcare and medical breakthroughs.”
“This Action Plan provides a clear vision to build an even more supportive, collaborative and innovative workplace for our researchers so they can forge long, successful and rewarding careers, right here in Victoria.”
Quote attributable to BioMelbourne Network Chief Executive Officer Karen Parr
“A thriving and collaborative research workforce underscores the sector’s growth and success. BioMelbourne Network welcomes the release of the Victorian Government’s Workforce Action Plan to support the attraction, building and retention of top talent, and back Victoria’s research sector growth.”