ABPI Youth Advisory Council

The Youth Advisory Council gives young people from across the UK a direct role in shaping how the pharmaceutical industry talks to, and engages with, the next generation.

Vision

Young people are the pharmaceutical industry's future workforce, and their perspectives matter.

ABPI research into Generation Z's career aspirations found that young people want authentic insight, representation, and a genuine say in the decisions that affect them.

The ABPI Youth Advisory Council was created as an action in response to the research. It is an advisory body, where Council members work with the ABPI over time to directly inform our careers content, public communications and guidance to member companies on how to meaningfully engage with young people.

What the Council does

Council members take part in structured workshops and ongoing engagement with the ABPI throughout the year. Insight and recommendations from these sessions directly shape the ABPI's approach, from the language and platforms we use to talk about careers in the industry, to how we help member companies build trust with a young audience.

Current workshops planned for 2026 include:

Mis- and disinformation in relation to health: helping the industry understand how young people encounter and evaluate health information online, and how to respond with credibility rather than corporate messaging.
Communicating externally with Gen Z: shaping the ABPI's and members' approach to youth-facing content, campaigns and platforms.

Who's on the Council

The Council is made up of advisers aged 16–19 from across the UK, recruited to reflect a range of backgrounds, locations, educational routes and starting points — including young people who had never previously considered a career in the pharmaceutical industry.

Why it matters

According to ABPI research, fewer than one in five young people currently feel they have a good understanding of the pharmaceutical industry beyond medicines development.

Alongside our current schools’ partnerships, STEM ambassador programme and work experience initiatives, we hope the Youth Advisory Council continues to support our aims of building a more informed, more diverse pipeline of future talent.

Want to know more?

If you're a member company interested in the Council's work, or a young person interested in future opportunities to get involved, contact our Press Office.

Last reviewed date: 07 October 2026

Next review date: 07 October 2029