In partnership with, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Skills England, we have launched the first dedicated MedTech Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) to support the growing skills needs of the employers in the fast-growing MedTech sector. The pioneering new qualifications have been launched to help fill the projected 145,000 job openings in the UK’s booming life sciences sector by 2035, helping unlock innovation, accelerate economic growth, and ease NHS pressures by boosting productivity. 

The West Midlands has considerable strengths in medical devices, diagnostics and associated digital healthcare, with the largest medical devices cluster in the UK, employing over 14,000 people and generating a combined turnover of £6bn. The region is home to world leading innovation hubs including Birmingham Health Innovation Campus, Birmingham Knowledge Quarter, Arden Cross and West Midlands Health-Tech Accelerator.

The new BTEC Higher National qualifications in MedTech for England (Levels 4 and 5) will be available to students in colleges and higher education institutions nationwide from September 2026.  

To ensure that the qualifications support the growing skills needs of the employers who develop and produce medical technology products, West Midlands Combined Authority, Pearson and Skills England engaged with stakeholders drawn from business and enterprise communities; academia and educational providers; plus, representatives from the NHS.  

They are designed to strengthen healthcare teams with in-demand technical expertise, equipping workers with an understanding of how digital systems, regulation and testing combine in practice.