Efforts to build a new culture and career pathways for women featured at a recent forum supporting an industry that has surged 47 per cent in value in the last five years.

Healthcare giant Sanofi is one of the latest international suppliers to choose Queensland as a global vaccine hub, contributing to the creation of more than 3000 jobs in the 1500 biomedical and life sciences companies that now call the state home.

State Development deputy director-general Michele Bauer said the ‘bio-boom’ meant flow-on benefits for the economy, and hopefully for the women employed in the industry’s growing ranks.

The proportion of women holding senior management roles sits at 23 per cent, a stubborn number that Bauer is keen to increase in line with the growing number of women following careers in the field of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

“Women in bio-industries have told us they want targeted professional development and insights on career pathways, and we’re backing them to get to that next level,” Bauer said.

It comes as the Department of State Development held its first industry forum for women in biomedicine and biotechnology in collaboration with the University of the Sunshine Coast Moreton Bay.

“We’re growing this sector to attract new investment to Queensland and create more specialised jobs that could shape the future of healthcare,” Bauer said.

“It’s important to stage this type of event to allow emerging and aspiring female leaders to gain insights into industry opportunities and challenges, hear from inspiring women in this field and make valuable contacts across the bio-industries.

“To build a highly-skilled workforce we must attract and keep top biomedical talent here – and that includes our best and brightest female researchers and innovators.

“Queensland has become the ideal place to learn, teach or work with high-value businesses and world-class researchers and clinicians across a range of sectors.

“Being on the map as a bio-industries hotspot also means you don’t have to go overseas to get experience. You can build your career right here in Queensland.”

Among them will be clinical trials specialist Melanie Gentgall, whose passion for sharing knowledge with the research workforce led to her transition from nurse to CEO of a national, not-for-profit start-up.

Gentgall built a business from the ground up as the founding CEO and co-creator of PRAXIS Australia Ltd, a company offering education and training in clinical trials, research and research ethics.

She is also part of Queensland’s growing science community as Deputy Director of the University of the Sunshine Coast Clinical Trials – and hopes to see more women seizing leadership opportunities.

“Since its earliest days, women have contributed significantly to the economic and reputational success of our local biotech and clinical trials industries across Australia,” Gentgall said.

“Our workforce at all levels is heavily represented by women from various science, technology and health discipline-based backgrounds.

“Whilst gender parity has improved, women are still underrepresented at the upper ranks of all settings where biomedical innovation occurs.

“Sharing stories of female leaders is a way of improving representation – after all – you can’t be what you can’t see.”