Scotland’s life sciences sector is widely recognised as one of the country’s major economic success stories. The sector is worth around £10.5 billion in annual turnover and supports more than 46,000 jobs in the region; spanning both human and animal health, plant sciences, pharmaceuticals, agritech, aquaculture, industrial biotechnology and bio-based manufacturing.

The ambition for the decade ahead is even greater. Scotland’s refreshed Life Sciences Strategy sets out a clear target to grow the sector to £25 billion by 2035, supported by investment in infrastructure, skills, advanced manufacturing, innovation and commercialisation.

Within this wider landscape, industrial biotechnology and bioprocessing are becoming increasingly important. Scotland’s National Plan for Industrial Biotechnology set targets of more than 220 active industrial biotechnology companies, £1.2 billion in associated turnover, and over 4,000 direct employees by 2025.

Scotland’s future biotechnology economy will not be built on discovery alone. It will depend on the ability to scale, manufacture and commercialise biological processes, from pharmaceuticals and enzymes to sustainable ingredients, bio-based materials, circular economy applications and low-carbon manufacturing.

That is where practical skills within the region become essential.

The future workforce will need scientists, but it will also need bioprocess technicians, fermentation specialists, laboratory analysts, production operators, quality professionals, automation specialists and process engineers. Recent Skills Development Scotland data reported 660 job postings for Biological Scientists and 500 job postings for Laboratory Technicians between July 2024 and June 2025, highlighting continued demand for technical capability across the sector.

Against this backdrop, the recent developments at Forth Valley College in Falkirk carries real significance.

Through its investment in new benchtop fermentation capability, the College is helping to build the practical skills pipeline Scotland will need to support life sciences growth, industrial biotechnology, sustainable manufacturing and regional economic transition.

A College Responding to Industry Need

Forth Valley College is one of Scotland’s leading regional colleges, delivering education and training across a wide range of subject areas including science, engineering, construction, care, hospitality, business and the creative industries.

Within that broader offer, science and bioprocessing are key growth areas. Through its Science and Chemical Process Technology provision, and more recently the Skills Transition Centre, the College delivers specialised training aligned to the needs of the life sciences and process industries. This includes programmes in chemical engineering, applied sciences and biotechnology, with a strong focus on practical, industry-relevant learning.

As the College explains:

“Our role is not just to educate, but to respond directly to regional and national skills demands, particularly around the transition to low-carbon and sustainable industries.”

This regional role is particularly important in the Forth Valley area, where developments around Grangemouth and the wider industrial cluster are accelerating the transition towards more sustainable, biotech-led and lower-carbon processes.

Moving from Foundational Science to Applied Bioprocessing

Forth Valley College already delivers programmes such as HND Chemical Process Technology, HND Applied Biological Science and HND Industrial Biotechnology, alongside collaborative pathways including the Brewing and Distilling and Chemical Engineering degrees with Heriot-Watt University and Chemical Engineering routes to the University of Aberdeen and the University of Strathclyde in partnership with the engineering academy. Across these programmes, students build a strong foundation in microbiology, cell biology, biochemistry and chemical processing.

The addition of new fermenter systems by Solaris Biotech marks an important step forward. As the College notes:

“While bioreactors and fermentation at scale are relatively new additions for us, they represent a really exciting step forward for Forth Valley College.”

This investment allows the College to move beyond foundational science into applied bioprocessing, giving students direct, hands-on experience with the technologies and processes increasingly used across life sciences and industrial biotechnology.

Closing the Gap Between Education and Industry

The decision to invest in new fermenter systems was driven by both regional demand and national strategy. For Forth Valley College, the opportunity was clear: to give students access to modern, industry-standard bioprocessing equipment and help close the gap between theoretical education and real industrial practice.

In the College’s words:

“The key opportunity was to close the gap between education and industry.”

That gap matters. Biotechnology teaching can often be constrained by equipment limitations, meaning students may understand the principles of fermentation without gaining enough experience of how controlled biological processes behave in practice.

The new systems help address that directly.

Learners can now work with real process variables including temperature, pH, aeration, agitation and data monitoring. They can begin to understand process control, variability, optimisation and troubleshooting in a hands-on environment.

As the College puts it:

“Learners need to operate real systems to understand process control, variability and troubleshooting.”

This is exactly the type of experience that strengthens employability, giving students not just awareness of bioprocessing concepts, but confidence in applying them.

Why Forth Valley College Chose Solaris IO Fermenters

To support this next stage of training, Forth Valley College selected Solaris IO1000 fully electric fermenter systems, supplied and commissioned by BPES. The set-up is composed of three 1-litre fermentation vessels, complete with dedicated control units and a 24” all-in-one touchscreen Human Machine Interface (HMI).

The College was looking for equipment that could offer a strong balance between industrial relevance and teaching practicality. The Solaris IO platform provided the balance.

“The Solaris systems offered a strong balance between industrial relevance and educational usability. They are robust, scalable, and reflective of the types of fermenters used in industry, while still being flexible enough for teaching environments.”

Key features included the level of process control, data monitoring capability, and flexibility across different fermentation types. These capabilities allow learners to engage meaningfully with the core operating parameters of bioprocessing, rather than treating fermentation as an abstract concept.

The ability to run multiple systems in parallel was also especially valuable.

“Running multiple systems in parallel allows us to deliver group-based learning, comparative experiments, and more advanced project work.”

This enables a more authentic teaching environment, where students can compare different conditions, work collaboratively, and gain experience that more closely reflects real industrial settings.

A Positive Installation and Training Experience

Successful equipment projects depend on more than the technology itself. Installation, training, communication and aftercare all play a crucial role in helping staff adopt new systems confidently.

Forth Valley College described the early experience as very positive.

“Installation and training were well managed, and the systems are intuitive to get started with.”

The training has helped staff begin integrating the equipment into teaching and project work quickly, giving the College a strong foundation for future activity.

The College also highlighted the support received from BPES throughout the process:

“BPES were extremely flexible in working around our tight training schedule and challenging availability. Their support throughout was prompt, detailed and solutions-focused.”

This kind of partnership is central to how technical projects should be delivered: not simply supplying equipment, but helping customers build confidence and long-term value from their investment.

Supporting the Next Generation of Biotechnology Talent

Looking ahead, Forth Valley College sees the new fermenter systems supporting a wide range of activity, from introductory teaching in fermentation through to advanced student projects and industry collaboration.

Future ambitions include applied student projects linked to real industrial challenges, collaboration with companies on process development and training, outreach activity to inspire future learners, and support for apprentices and workforce upskilling in GMP and bioprocessing.

“Ultimately, the aim is to help build a strong pipeline of talent into roles such as bioprocess technicians, laboratory analysts and production operators.”

That ambition connects directly to Scotland’s wider biotechnology opportunity. If the sector is to grow from £10.5 billion today towards the £25 billion vision for 2035, practical training environments like this will be essential. They give learners access to the tools, systems and experiences that turn scientific understanding into real industrial capability.

A Strategic Investment with Regional and National Importance

Forth Valley College’s investment in fermentation technologies represents a deliberate step towards building the skills, confidence and technical capability needed for Scotland’s next phase of biotechnology growth.

As the College summarises:

“This investment represents a significant step in positioning Forth Valley College at the centre of Scotland’s biotechnology skills landscape.”

Through the Skills Transition Centre, industry-standard equipment, employer engagement and applied teaching, Forth Valley College is helping learners prepare for the future of life sciences, industrial biotechnology and sustainable manufacturing.

We are proud to have supported this project and look forward to seeing the impact these systems have on students, staff, employers and the wider Scottish biotechnology sector in the years ahead.