The biotech sector requires highly skilled and credentialed workers for various technical positions. Ideally those employees would be ready on day 1 to work, i.e. trained to perform the job and already trained on the equipment that they would need to use at their work place. Additionally, incumbent workers often require further training or updates to their skill sets. Further, the industry is dynamic with market shifts leading to requirements for new, or potentially retooled workers with different skill sets. While on-the-job training will always be an essential tool for developing the workforce, there is a need for innovative approaches to prepare students for work in an industrial environment and to provide education and training in new and innovative manufacturing techniques in biopharmaceuticals.
The solution is to improve both the quantity and quality of the available workforce pool for the biotech sector in the Raleigh/Durham area and eventually the state of North Carolina through:
Expanded educational pathways by revising articulation agreements between NCCU and multiple community colleges, creating a seamless pipeline from two-year programs to a four-year Pharmaceutical Sciences degree and biopharma careers.
Developed stackable credentials and online certificates (e.g., Pharmaceutical Sciences, Good Practices for Biopharma, Regulatory Sciences, Project Management) to increase workforce readiness and provide flexible learning options for students and incumbent workers.
Implemented externship programs offering hands-on lab experience and professional development for community college students, strengthening technical skills and soft skills critical for biopharma roles.
Benefited NIIMBL members and educators by creating replicable models for partnerships, digital learning, and competency-based training that address industry needs for skilled talent.
This project delivered a comprehensive workforce development initiative that included transitioning 12 courses to online format, creating four approved online certificates, and establishing an externship program for community college students at NCCU’s BRITE facility. The externship program provided hands-on training in mammalian cell culture and professional development, with participants reporting significant gains in technical and workplace competencies. Updated articulation agreements removed barriers to college transfer, enabling a clear pathway from community college to biopharma careers. Overall, the project engaged over 400 students and educators, developed marketing tools, and created sustainable models for future workforce expansion.
12 courses transitioned to online format and 4 online certificates developed and approved, covering Pharmaceutical Sciences, GxP for Biopharma, Regulatory Sciences, and Project Management.
Externship program launched, with 8 community college students completing lab-based training in mammalian cell culture and reporting measurable growth in bioscience fundamentals, problem-solving, and teamwork.
Three articulation agreements updated and two more in progress, strengthening transfer pathways and reducing institutional barriers for students entering biopharma programs.
Engaged over 400 participants (students and educators) and developed marketing materials to promote biopharma career pathways across North Carolina.
Onyenwoke, R., Janvier-Derilus, N., Smith, W., & Williams, K., The North Carolina Central University (NCCU) NIIMBL Stackable Credentials to Strengthen the Pipeline to Biopharma, NIIMBL National Meeting, Washington, DC, June 28, 2019.
Navarro, H., Building a Skilled Biotech Workforce & Pipeline, 3rd Annual Bull City Biotech Summit, Durham, NC, October 29, 2019.
Onyenwoke, R., NIIMBL Stackable Credentials to Strengthen the Pipeline to Biopharma, NIIMBL National Meeting, Washington, DC, June 28, 2019.
Williams, K., & Janvier-Derilus, N., Expanding Our Education and Training Offerings at BRITE, Bull City Biotech Summit, Durham, NC, October 10, 2018.
Williams, K., Janvier-Derilus, N., & Onyenwoke, R., Stackable Credentials, NIIMBL Member Forum, Virtual, May 28, 2020.
Elder, R. (2020). NCCU Partners with Vance-Granville Community College for Pharmaceutical Sciences Degree. North Carolina Central University News. https://www.nccu.edu/news/nccu-partners-vance-granville-community-college-pharmaceutical-sciences-degree
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North Carolina Central University
Alamance Community College
Durham Technical Community College
Forsyth Technical Community College
Vance-Granville Community College
