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4 Community colleges and industry can lack The Journey of the NCBW (continued)
connections when it comes to jobs in bio- the Consortium Leader, along with the National Science
tech. A comprehensive set of industry standards Foundation Advanced Technological Education’s BIO-
matched with corresponding educators and training ma- LINK center, the National Science Foundation Advanced
terials, especially at the technician level, did not yet exist. Technological Education’s North East Biomanufacturing
Then, in December, 2012, Forsyth Tech, the home of Consortium, plus other major industry employers, work-
the National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce, force centers and community organizations.
was awarded a three-year, $15 million grant through the
DOL’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College “The c3bc brings together experts around nationally
Career Training program. This established the Com- recognized, articulated skills competencies and career
munity College Consortium for Biosciences Credentials ladders,” said Dr. Green. “This will improve American
(c3bc), a national partnership of twelve community competiveness and provide job seekers with clear infor-
colleges from across the nation, including Forsyth Tech, mation about career options in this vital industry sector.”

“Technicians are doing things in labs today that only Ph.D.s did 15 to 20 years ago,” says Russ
Read, executive director of the National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce headquar-
tered at Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston–Salem, North Carolina.

Hank Stern, Genentech’s associate director for manufacturing collaborations in South San
Francisco, agrees. At his company, community-college-trained technicians are operating
25,000-litre cell-culture fermenters producing pharmaceuticals worth tens of millions of
dollars. Stern says: “These are not trivial jobs by any means. A single mistake can have a huge
impact both in terms of the product we supply to our patients and in finances for the company.”

NCBW Invited to give a presentation at the Indian National Congress of Science

Dr. Anu David attends BIFP

The National Center for the Biotech Workforce certainly fit into the “Science The Biosciences Industry
and Technology for Indigenous Development in India” theme of 2016’s Con- Fellowship Project (BIFP)
gress. Speaking at the opening ceremonies, India’s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra is a month-long program
Modi, noted that the 103rd Indian Science Congress coincided with the cente- that brings a diverse group
nary year of the University of Mysore, where it was held. “That was the time of of high-impact bioscience
a new awakening in India. We sought not just freedom, but also human advance- instructors to live and learn
ment. We wanted not just an independent India, but an India that could stand together. Hands-on visits
independently on the strength of its human resources, scientific capabilities and to industry bring deeper
industrial development. Now, we have launched yet another revolution of empow- understanding of principles
erment and opportunities in India. And we are once again turning to our scientists and processes at work.
and innovators to realize our goals of human welfare and economic development.” Awardees typically write
about their experiences, cre-
ating new teaching modules.