Biopharmaceutical manufacturers struggle to recruit and hire high school graduates due to a limited number of interested candidates.
The goal of this project is to develop an awareness program that can be used to introduce high school students to careers in biopharmaceutical manufacturing operations.
The project will create a classroom presentation designed to engage high school students, consisting of:
In collaboration with one or more public school systems, the team will select two North Carolina high schools representing diverse racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic student populations to host pilots, scheduled sequentially to allow for revisions before the second pilot.
Finally, the project team will document lessons learned in the leader’s manual and develop marketing materials that will explain the program to teachers interested in using the program or hosting subject matter experts from industry or colleges in their classrooms. All program materials will be available online at no cost to the public.
Development of an awareness program that can be used to introduce high school students to careers in biopharmaceutical manufacturing operations. A classroom presentation consisting of a video, a slide show, and a hands-on demonstration will be created.
Use the developed program to enhance awareness of careers in biomanufacturing among high school students and increase the industry’s ability to recruit and hire these candidates.
Very few high schools are offering programs that highlight the accessibility of careers in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. As a result, high school students are drawn to other more familiar industries. The proposed awareness program will help close this knowledge gap and attract more high school students interested in starting a career in biopharmaceutical manufacturing operations immediately after graduating from high school. This larger pool of candidates will allow manufacturers to fill positions faster and reduce the cost of recruiting. In addition, the program’s design, cost, and availability will encourage its delivery to high schools with high populations of disadvantaged youth and minorities. Successful candidates from these populations will benefit from high wages in a stable industry.
Community colleges and universities also stand to benefit financially because some high school students may be encouraged to seek additional training opportunities, such as a biomanufacturing certificate program or even a degree program, rather than pursuing employment opportunities immediately after graduation. Likewise, the awareness program should help drive high school graduates into Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAP), which typically require related instruction in a community college.
The value of the proposed awareness program will be maximized by making all program materials available free of charge on the public website operated by the NCCCS BioNetwork STEM Outreach program at Pitt Community College.
Developed and delivered the “My Future in Biotech” pilot program for high school students, including a hype video, career-focused presentation, and hands-on STEM activity (Basketball PSI Relay).
Created educational resources: facilitator guide, student guide, general informational presentation, and marketing materials (website, rack cards, logo).
Produced digital assets and platforms, including videos and a dedicated website (myfutureinbiotech.com / .org) for program access and resource downloads.
Implemented outreach and training, offering 12 classes that reached 1,133 students, 24 educators, and 13 professionals during the project lifecycle.
Established sustainability plans, including teacher training at conferences, continued implementation in NC schools, and integration into BioNetwork’s STEM outreach activities.
Loyd, C., Behrle, C., Cooper, C., Song, H., Rowley, L., Wallace, S., & Coury, S., My Future in Biotech: An Introduction to Biomanufacturing Career Opportunities for High School Students and Recent Graduates, NIIMBL National Meeting, Washington, DC, June 25, 2024.
Behrle, C., My Future in Biotech, Bridging the Gap, Research Triangle Park, NC, October 22, 2024.
Behrle, C., My Future in Biotech, NSTA, New Orleans, LA, November 6, 2024.
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North Carolina Biotechnology Center
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
Pfizer, Inc.
Pitt Community College
