On average, you earn more in chemistry and pharmacy: Expert reveals why | my guide

“There are a number of reasons why wages in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry have always been so high,” says Frank Vander Sippy, director of HR trends and statistics at Securex. “The fact that research and innovation are so important is one of them. Since everything is based on patents, these companies constantly have to develop new chemical and pharmaceutical products to make a profit. You need the best people for that. This is also becoming evident with Corona: May You want to have in-house R&D experts who can make a vaccine quickly. To bring in senior staff, you have to offer the highest wages. This is because there is an increased demand for STEM professionals everywhere.”
Earning according to Statbel . Inc Research and development personnel in chemistry and pharmacy With an average gross of €5,598 per month, or about €3,060 net. For comparison: the average salary in research and development in all sectors is €5,026 (€2829 net).

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You also earn above average as a worker in the chemical and pharmaceutical sector. “This is because the machines in the production department of these companies are very expensive,” explains Vander Sijpe. “It must be used optimally and therefore operated day and night, 7/7. By offering a good wage, companies succeed in finding workers who are willing to work in a continuous system and who show a great deal of flexibility.” According to Vander Sijpe, many production workers in this sector are also highly skilled. “Precision is very important in such an environment. You don’t assemble a machine, you work with chemicals. If something goes wrong, it can have serious consequences. Thanks to the salary package, these companies can often persuade singles to start production.”
He is highly skilled the product With an average gross salary of €4434 (€2601 net) in this sector. If you do not have a higher diploma, your salary will fluctuate around €3,776 (€2,261 net).

It is not only the nature of the work that forces employers in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries to offer attractive salaries. The sector is also suffering from an aging population. “One in three employees are currently over 50 years old,” says the HR expert. So companies will have to replace a lot of people in the coming years. Moreover, the sector is growing rapidly, which means that more workers are needed anyway. Therefore, higher wages and initial wages are a must to attract and retain young people.”

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Excellent conditions apply not only to R&D experts and production personnel. “All employees get good salaries from administrative staff Even HR staff. “This is a feature of the culture of those companies,” says Vander Sippy. On top of that, there are so many wage agreements within the sector, that you end up being an employee at scale anyway. Regardless of your profile. A managerial employee in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, for example, earns an average of €3,387 (net €2,136), while this is €3,090 gross (2,004 net) across all sectors.

Of course, every employer would like to offer their employees a generous wage. The war for talent is burning everywhere. However, products from chemical and pharmaceutical companies generally have a higher gross profit margin on average than many other sectors. “This profit margin allows them to invest in their expensive machines and their employees,” concludes the expert. Moreover, most of the employers in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors are major international players. They simply have more resources and, on average, pay better than smaller organizations.”

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