Medical Technology Skills-Education Gaps Roadmap

The MedTech Skills-Education Gaps Roadmap identifies the education and training needed to accelerate the growth of Victoria’s vibrant medtech development industry.

Prepared in collaboration with Swinburne University of Technology and drawing on the insights of over 180 Medtech stakeholders, the Roadmap outlines the skills-education gaps limiting the development of the sector.

By addressing these gaps, we can help cultivate a more specialised and skilled Medtech sector, ultimately helping to deliver better health outcomes for Australians.

Commercialisation and IP

Knowledge of commercialisation and reimbursement pathways were noted as key skills gaps, especially during end-stage R&D.

With only 4% of programs providing specific instruction on this area, it’s clear that addressing this gap will require additional focus from tertiary institutions.

End-to-end Product Design Processes

Instruction on clinical trials, concept design, and other vital steps in the Medtech product development pathway is lacking at the tertiary level.

With clinical trial design noted as a key skills gap in the sector and only 9% of relevant courses providing instruction, its clear there must be a greater focus.

Regulatory Frameworks and Quality Management Systems

Very few (~10%) higher education courses provide instruction on Medtech regulations and quality management systems such as Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

Industry has noted a lack of knowledge of relevant international and domestic regulations in graduates, suggesting a need for specific instruction on the industry’s complex regulatory environment.

Advanced Manufacturing and Applied Technologies

While many education courses provide tuition on advanced manufacturing techniques, there is a lack of specialised instruction on applying these techniques within the Medtech sector.

Medtech employers noted a shortage of process design expertise and expertise in specialised devices, highlighting a need for more targeted courseware.

Project Management and Business Skills

Medtech-specific project management skills are in high demand, but current project management qualifications do not provide sector-specific knowledge around commercialisation and growth pathways.

Skills such as team management, creative mindset, corporate leadership, and funding application drafting remain highly sought after in senior managers.

Digital and Data Management including Cybersecurity

With healthcare being one of the most data-intensive industries, strong knowledge of data management and cybersecurity are vital to the continued growth of Victorian Medtech.

While more than half of all relevant courses provide tuition on the collection, use, and management of health data, only 3% of programs surveyed provide students with instruction on cybersecurity, with none providing specific information on cybersecurity within a Medtech context.

The Victorian Medtech Skills and Devices Hub (VMH) is a Victorian Government initiative working to accelerate the growth of our state’s Medtech development ecosystem.

We’re working together with industry, academia, and government to enable cross-sector engagement, boosting Victoria’s advanced manufacturing capabilities and strengthening our position in the global Medtech market.

Building a world-class Medtech workforce means starting with today’s students. We’re developing new education opportunities aligned to industry needs, improving job-readiness and enabling greater specialisation.

Simultaneously, we’ll work to nurture the talent already in industry, developing micro-certifications and short courses that help Victorian professionals stay at the cutting edge of Medtech.