Unfortunately, German universities, universities of applied sciences and vocational schools offering training to become biological technical assistants do not monitor the graduate career progression. For this reason, in Germany, unlike in the USA, the only way to get an estimate on such numbers is to determine the number of graduates in the individual disciplines and then find out the number of jobs that are held by biologists, biochemists, biotechnologists and biological-technical assistants.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to determine the exact number of biologists that have graduated in a particular year and who subsequently either chose a job in medical research, pharmaceutical research or conversely as a financial consultant. BioRegio STERN talked to Dr. Hanns Frohnmeyer who works for the Landesbank Baden-Württemberg as an analyst covering the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

According to figures from the Federal Statistics Office, 3,000 students have left university with a degree (editor's note: a German Diplom) in recent years. Some 16,00 students obtained a doctorate in a biology-related discipline and 900 to 1,000 students graduated with a teaching degree. In biochemistry, between 500 and 750 graduates finished their studies with a degree (Diplom) or doctorate between 2001 and 2004. In the same period, the number of graduates in biotechnology gradually increased from 400 to nearly 650, with a higher number of male than female graduates. In contrast, the number of women in other biology-related disciplines is higher. The number of men doing doctorates exceeds that of women. Dr. Olga Speck’s story (summarised by the Freiburg BioRegion) typifies that of women who are able to have a successful career in the biological sciences and still fulfil their wish to have a family.

Estimates by the Federal Employment Agency (BA) from 2003 are shown in a diagram by the Association of German Biologists that clearly shows the areas where biologists are needed. However, the presentation misses many exciting jobs that are also available for people with a degree in biology. Many biologists turn to journalism, such as is the case of four employees at the Communications Office of the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg presented by the Rhine Neckar Triangle BioRegion. Other people might choose to work in a criminal investigation department. For example, the State Office of Criminal Investigation (LKA) in Stuttgart employs 18 biologists in the investigation of crimes. STERN BioRegion talked to Dr. Thomas Ritter from the LKA in Stuttgart.

Some biologists decided to become entrepreneurs and are not included in the figures provided by the Federal Employment Agency. Freiburg BioRegion tells us about the life of Dr. Rolf Willmund, founder of GeneScan, scientist and businessman as well as creator of the Amber Foundation. He didn’t see a future in the sciences for himself in the 1980s and decided to become an entrepreneur. Willmund is a good example of the fact that, although many different kinds of professions are available to biologists, the job situation is not always excellent. Currently, the Federal Employment Agency lists some 5,000 biologists and biochemists that are looking for jobs.

You can also enter a biological profession without a university degree in a biological discipline if you enjoy biology but do not want to study at a higher level. Some 30 vocational schools in Germany offer courses for biological-technical assistants. According to the German Association of Biological-Technical Assistants (vbta) between 1,200 and 1,400 biological-technical assistants are trained every year. However, no details are available on the number of people that have actually accepted a job as biological-technical assistant and the kinds of companies they are working for. Thomas Wittling, managing director of the dvta, estimates that 50% of all biological-technical assistants start studying sciences in greater depth following the completion of their initial training and courses. He rates the current situation on the job market as good and believes that interesting jobs can be found providing that the job applicants have a degree and are flexible. The Ulm BioRegion offers a career that is so far only available in the Upper Swabian Region – that of biotechnological production specialist.


kb – 25th Oct. 2005