Megalab will bring up to 2,000 jobs to Warwickshire
Around 2,000 jobs will be created in Warwickshire early next year after Leamington Spa was chosen as a site for one of the largest diagnostic facilities in the UK.
In the battle against COVID-19, the Government has announced that Leamington will be home to one of two vast new testing laboratories which will play a key role in the drive to increase national testing capacity. The other lab will be in Scotland.
In the immediate term, the Leamington laboratory will be dedicated to the National Testing Programme for COVID-19 and, when at full capacity, will process up to 300,000 tests a day.
Up to 2,000 new jobs, including those in the associated manufacturing and supply chain, will be created in the area when the lab is fully staffed and operating 24 hours a day. On-site jobs will range from scientists and lab technicians to administrative and warehouse roles, bringing a huge boost for local employment and supply chain businesses.
Warwickshire County Council is working with colleagues across all levels of government to support recruitment for the new laboratory and also ensure that local businesses have all the information they need about potential opportunities.
Leader of Warwickshire County Council, Cllr Izzi Seccombe said:“Warwickshire remains a strategically located destination within the UK for investment and the Government announcement to build a new diagnostic testing laboratory here reinforces that.
“The new facility will play an important role in the region’s recovery, bringing with it up to 2,000 jobs providing a much-needed boost to our economy. But it is also testament to the work that has gone into making Warwickshire such a standard bearer of technology and innovation. We have a wide range of cutting-edge enterprises based in the county and a tremendous pipeline of talent with two universities close by; to be selected once again by the Government to lead such a critical piece of work, demonstrates the trust and the confidence that our reputation brings.”
A recruitment drive has already started for the Leamington Spa lab with more details available here: https://www.ttlaboratoryjobs.com/