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6 PHASE ONE 2004 - 2008

Journey of the National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce

Challenge: Addressing the Challenge:
Shortage of skilled workers at the technician
The $5 million High Growth Job Training Initiative
level in the biosciences industry grant created the National Center for the Biotechnology
Community colleges and industry lack Workforce. Five community college partners located in
different regions across the country worked with em-
connections for jobs in biotech. ployers to identify industry skill needs and develop train-
A comprehensive set of industry standards ing curricula for a range of biotech sectors.

and corresponding training material, Each one already a proven “Center of Expertise” in its
particularly at the technician level, own specific area of industry training and geographical
region, all five came together and united to represent
did not yet exist. the whole nation and all spheres of the rapidly growing
industry. Becoming a nationwide enterprise, the NCBW
“Growing Skilled People for started engaging numerous workforce challenges still
Great Jobs in the Biosciences” facing the nation’s growing biotechnology industry today.

Former Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Emily Stover DeRocco presented a Recog-

nition of Excellence honor to Russ Read and leaders of the National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce at

the 2006 Workforce Innovations event in Anaheim, recognizing their innovative approaches to preparing the 21st

Century Workforce for biotechnology. Pictured (from left) Janet Paulson, Patricia Dombrowski, Chuck Crabtree,

IRebecca Keith, Sonia Wallman, Read, DeRocco, Ric Mathews, Ron Shelton
n 36 months the NCBW developed a coordinated ployability - like being able to think independently.
network of partners; enhanced training capacity Plus it began delivering distance learning, with more
with hands-on experiences; took responsibility for new media innovations.
skills standards and workforce needs - and met all the NCBW helped create a clearer image in the public’s
NCBW main goals. mind about real opportunities in biotech and the ca-
It created courses, labs, and pathways to biotech jobs reer pathways available. NCBW efforts, so far, resulted
- articulation agreements, high school strategies, on- in thousands of newly trained workers gaining skills
ramps, incumbent worker programs, cooperative pilot and advancing in good paying bioscience industry
projects with industry plus teacher training. Given the jobs. Numbers in the first phase include about 400
industry’s dynamic nature, NCBW partners initiated students graduated, plus training for more than 835
internships and apprenticeships to increase hands-on teachers. The NCBW also reached more than 12,000
experiential learning in upgraded college laboratories. incumbent workers - those already at work in this
NCBW also addressed “soft” skills required for em- always growing industry.