Sterling shares why it invested in the Process Leader Apprenticeship and the impact it's already seeing across its operational teams.
Leadership capability is critical in highly regulated manufacturing environments. We spoke to Lauren Youmans, Human Resources Business Partner at Sterling about why they introduced the Process Leader Apprenticeship, what they wanted to achieve and how the programme is helping build the next generation of operational leaders.
About Sterling Pharma Solutions
Sterling Pharma Solutions is a leading global contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) specialising in the development and manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). Operating within a highly regulated and technically complex environment, our people are fundamental to delivering safe, compliant and high-quality outcomes for our customers.
Our approach to talent development is centred on building capability from within. We believe that investing in our people not only strengthens operational performance but also supports succession planning, employee engagement and long-term organisational resilience. We focus on creating structured development pathways that equip employees with the skills, knowledge and behaviours required to progress into leadership roles, while also implementing initiatives that encourage long-term retention and career growth.
Why Leadership Development Became a Business Priority
Like many manufacturers, we have experienced significant organisational change over recent years. Following a period of restructuring and workforce reduction, we identified a potential leadership capability gap, particularly within our middle-management population.
At the same time, we recognised the need to strengthen succession planning, reduce reliance on external recruitment and ensure we had a sustainable pipeline of future leaders capable of supporting our long-term growth ambitions. We wanted to provide aspiring and existing operational leaders with a structured development opportunity that would enhance both technical and people leadership capability, whilst supporting our wider organisational strategy.
The Importance of Leadership in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Leadership plays a critical role in pharmaceutical manufacturing because of the highly regulated nature of the industry. Leaders are responsible not only for operational delivery but also for maintaining quality, safety and compliance standards whilst managing complex production environments.
Effective leaders influence culture, drive continuous improvement, support employee engagement and ensure that teams can respond effectively to changing customer demands and business priorities. Strong leadership directly contributes to operational excellence, product quality, workforce capability and ultimately patient safety, making it a key organisational requirement rather than simply a management function
Why Sterling Chose the Process Leader Apprenticeship
When evaluating available development options, we wanted a programme that reflected the unique requirements of leaders operating in complex manufacturing environments.
We wanted learners to develop a broad combination of leadership, operational and continuous improvement capabilities.
Key areas included people management, communication, coaching, problem-solving, decision-making, performance management and stakeholder engagement. We also wanted participants to strengthen their understanding of process optimisation, risk management, compliance, resource planning and operational performance.
From a behavioural perspective, we wanted to develop accountable, resilient and proactive leaders who can influence others positively, lead teams effectively and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
The Process Leader Apprenticeship stood out because it combines technical process knowledge with leadership development. Unlike more general management programmes, it provides a balanced focus on operational performance, continuous improvement, compliance, resource management and people leadership.
It aligned closely with the day-to-day responsibilities of our operational leaders and offered a structured framework that could support both current performance needs and future succession planning objectives.
Why Sterling Chose Cogent Skills Apprenticeships
Cogent Skills Apprenticeships has a strong reputation and a deep understanding of the operational environment in which our employees work.
Having piloted the Level 4 Process Leader with a small cohort of learners, it was clear that they understood the challenges faced by manufacturing organisations and could provide a programme that was both industry-relevant and practically applicable. Their experience within regulated process environments gave us confidence that the apprenticeship would resonate with learners and support meaningful workplace application.
How Cogent Skills' Industry Expertise Supports Learners
One of the key strengths of Cogent Skills is their ability to contextualise learning within real operational environments.
Rather than approaching leadership development from a purely academic perspective, they understand the realities of industries where safety, quality, compliance and productivity must coexist. This enables learners to see the direct relevance of the programme to their own roles and encourages them to apply learning immediately in the workplace.
Their industry knowledge has helped bridge the gap between theory and practice, making the programme more engaging and impactful for our learners.
A Partnership That Supports Apprentice Success
What we have valued most is the partnership approach. Cogent Skills has worked collaboratively with both our HR team and operational leaders to ensure learners receive the support they need throughout their apprenticeship journey.
Communication has been proactive, introductory meetings and progress reviews have been meaningful, and the support available to learners has been flexible and responsive.
A good example of this has been their willingness to engage directly with managers and mentors to ensure everyone understands their role in supporting learner success. They have consistently taken a learner-centred approach and demonstrated a genuine commitment to achieving positive outcomes, rather than simply delivering a programme.
Applying Learning in the Workplace
We have already seen learners applying their learning in several ways.
Participants have demonstrated greater confidence in leading teams, managing performance, engaging stakeholders and supporting continuous improvement initiatives. They have strengthened their ability to use data to support decision-making, approach problems in a more structured manner and identify opportunities for operational improvement.
Importantly, many learners have also reported an increased understanding of how their role contributes to wider organisational objectives, helping them make a stronger connection between day-to-day operational delivery and strategic business priorities.
An Apprentice's Perspective
While Sterling has already seen the organisational benefits of the Process Leader Apprenticeship, the impact is equally evident in the experiences of those taking part. Anthony Barke, Assistant Manufacturing Coordinator at Sterling, shares how the programme has helped him develop greater confidence, strengthen his leadership skills and apply his learning in the workplace.
"I feel that I take new challenges onboard with more confidence now. Arranging meetings with high level employees is much easier for me too. I now actively step out of my comfort zone to challenge ineffective ways of working cross department quite easily, this was always a blocker for me."
Anthony also highlighted the support he received throughout the apprenticeship.
"The fact that my designated tutor is literally at the end of the phone is great. Sometimes when combining the job and the apprenticeship direction can be clouded but having the tutor there helps realign focus."
Building the Next Generation of Manufacturing Leaders
The Process Leader Apprenticeship will play an important role in supporting our long-term talent and succession strategy.
As our organisation continues to grow and evolve, we need leaders who can successfully balance operational delivery, regulatory compliance, people leadership and continuous improvement. The programme provides a structured pathway for developing those capabilities internally.
Looking ahead, we see Process Leader as an important component of our leadership pipeline. It supports our ambition to build a sustainable pool of future leaders, strengthen organisational capability, enhance succession readiness and reinforce our position as an employer that is committed to investing in the development and progression of its people.
Ultimately, it's about ensuring we have the leadership capability required to support sustainable growth, operational excellence and long-term success.
