New Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) have been created by the Government to address skills shortages in the UK’s MedTech sector, with the aim of supporting workforce growth and improving NHS productivity.
The qualifications can be delivered by colleges, private training providers and universities, and are designed to prepare learners for roles including technicians working with AI-enabled health technologies, such as wearable devices, imaging systems and diagnostics, as well as regulatory and compliance-focused positions.
The qualifications were developed through a partnership involving the government’s national skills agency, Skills England, lifelong learning company Pearson, the West Midlands Combined Authority, and employers based in the West Midlands. The region is a major MedTech hub, home to more than 700 businesses operating across medical devices, diagnostics and digital health. It employs over 14,000 people and generates an estimated £6 billion in annual turnover.
The launch follows government calls for greater adoption of advanced medical technologies within the NHS to support productivity and reduce waiting lists. Industry analysis indicates that by 2035 the MedTech sector will require approximately 70,000 additional workers to meet demand, alongside a further 75,000 replacements due to workforce attrition.
The two new HTQs sit at levels 4 and 5, between A levels and T Levels (level 3) and undergraduate degrees (levels 6 and 7). They focus on applied technical skills, including digital systems, regulation and product testing. The qualifications are being piloted with funding from the West Midlands Investment Zone and align with the government’s Industrial Strategy and the West Midlands Growth Plan, both of which identify life sciences as a priority sector for long-term growth.
