SINGAPORE : The biomedical sciences industry is now the second largest contributor to Singapore's GDP within the manufacturing sector.

And undergraduates looking to enter the industry turned up at Biobiz, an annual biomedical conference.

Some 400 university students were there to network with industry professionals and learn more about what has been dubbed a promising sector.

More than 2,000 manufacturing jobs and more than 500 new research positions will be made available over the next three years.

This is due to the investments made by companies in Singapore and experts say students should not shy away from the industry and instead give it a try.

Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, Deputy Chairman, A*Star, said: "There are many opportunities for them to do so. For example, through internships - that's a very good way to learn what the industry is like."

And some are saying this is a great time for Singapore to ride the biomedical wave.

Tan Kay Yong, VP - India-China Sourcing, GloxoSmithKline, said: "We have got people with the skills. We've got fantastic language capabilities. Our infrastructure is very strong. We're well connected to the world. We've got a very good regulatory environment and for all those reasons we're well-placed to take advantage of the growth in India, in China, this part of the world."

Since year 2000, four major R&D centres and more than 20 of the world's leading biotech companies have set up offices here. - CNA/ch