Stackable Credentials for Biotechnology Workforce Development

Performance Period: 5/1/2019 to 12/15/2019

Washington State’s biomanufacturing industry is a cornerstone of its growing economy, employing over 36,000 workers. Yet the region’s competitiveness and long-term growth is challenged by the lack of a skilled workforce. In this project, Shoreline Community College (PI: Guy Hamilton), Juno Therapeutics (Co-PI: Snehal Patel), and Life Science Washington aim to alleviate workforce shortages by establishing guided academic pathways for students and workers seeking careers in biomanufacturing. Working with industry partners, Shoreline seeks to align curriculum with industry workforce needs. After identifying a set of technical knowledge and activities, modules and courses will be created by the team to train students in those skills. Students who complete modules will gain industry-vetted, stackable credentials. To develop a workforce pipeline, the team plans to conduct an engagement campaign with high school and community college students and workers in need of retraining. The team will make all course materials nonproprietary and openly accessible to allow for scalability.

This is the first phase in a long-term objective to establish national standards through a national certification organization.