The role of academia in education and training of the workforce for the biomunfacturing industry

The biomanufacturing industry, including biofermentation, has long been identified by many States as an area of great opportunity for economic development. In the last few decades, there has been significant progress in bioresearch and bio-based product development throughout USA and World Wide. According to statistics released by the Department of Labor, forty States are heavily involved in developing and expanding life science research and all fifty States have bio-based technology development initiatives. Providing the trained workforce for the increasingly growing biotechnology industry is becoming a challenge. According to the Department of Labor, the overarching workforce issues are recruitment, education and training. Finding experienced technicians with specialty skills that align with a highly regulated work environment, e.g. knowledge of cGMP, validation, quality control and regulatory issues, is a significant challenge. One of the problems that may limit the growth of the biotechnology industry is the shortage of well-trained personnel. In order for the biotechnology industry to grow and prosper, an available and well trained workforce is a must. Academia needs to support efforts that generate additional biotechnology and life science programs based on consultations with industry to fulfill the needs. In this presentation, the efforts underway at the WPI Biomanufacturing Education and Training Center to respond to the workforce needs of the industry will be highlighted.