Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation Inc.

BioTalent’s focus is to illuminate the many pathways into life sciences careers. Technical and soft skills classes offer alternative training that opens doors to careers and career growth, particularly for historically underrepresented populations. Professional training courses help the incumbent workforce build critical skills for continued success.

BioTalent activities include:
Real time research on industry development, employer needs, and projected hiring trends; information utilized to build partnerships and initiatives that align traditional and non-traditional training with industry needs.

Apprenticeship Program
The Life Sciences industry has been, and most certainly will continue to be, one of the most important employers in this region, offering a wide range of job possibilities. But the supply of qualified people has not kept up with the demand. This has been problematic for years, but the current COVID crisis has exacerbated the pressure, particularly in two key functional areas of this industry – clinical operations and manufacturing.

Working with leading life science employers, the state of Massachusetts and The Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP), we have developed the Biomanufacturing Technician (BMT) and Clinical Trial Associate (CTA) Apprenticeship program, the first of its kind in the country. Each apprenticeship will offer a streamlined pathway into the industry through accelerated training that combines classroom education, technical training and on-site work experiences and will provide companies with vetted, trained workers. Apprenticeships offer non-traditional students a pathway into careers that offer family sustainable wages and career growth opportunity, helping to grow the pool of diverse and talented candidates.

Career Awareness
Delivered by career ambassadors, and college and company exploratory site visits engage both students and industry volunteers. In classroom visits, virtual panel and individual presentations and interactive lab demonstrations inform students, young and adults, about the opportunities in the life sciences.

Life Sciences Workforce Conference
This annual event is uniquely devoted to bringing together the life sciences industry and academia to align training of the next generation of leaders. It provides an opportunity to hear from experts and converse about best practices for education and training, as well as career exploration and readiness. The conference focuses on meeting hiring needs and how industry, government, and academia can work together to secure the best life sciences workforce in the years ahead.

Our continued learning provides individuals with technical and soft skills and knowledge that enhances career growth and cultivates a broader professional network. Held in person and online, they are tailored to ensure quality content and maximize teacher-student interaction. Designed and taught by industry professionals, courses include: project management, communications, leadership and collaboration and are held year-round.