The Northeast Biomanufacturing Center and Collaborative: Building a Sustainable Infrastructure for Biomanufacturing Jobs and Education

Manchester Community College, Manchester NH

Investigators

Abstract

The Northeast Biomanufacturing Center and Collaboration (NBCC), based at New Hampshire Technical College Manchester/Stratham is a self-sustaining regional alliance consisting of five northeastern community colleges and one technical high school. Partners in this effort include New Hampshire Community technical College, Community College of Baltimore County-Catonsville, Community College of Rhode Island, Finger Lakes Community College, Montgomery County Community College, and Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School. Each of the centers forms a Hub through which a network is being developed with the local biotechnology/biomedical industry, educational institutions, professional associations and government to prepare a technical workforce for the region's rapidly increasing biomanufacturing industry. The Hubs are 1) Developing resources for the biomanufacturing community; 2) Facilitating annual workshops that engage the biotechnology community in their region; 3) Establishing sustainable learning communities to support students pursuing a career in biomanufacturing; 4) Developing educational pathways and articulation agreements between high schools, community colleges, and universities; 5) Developing and adapting biomanufacturing curricula and instructional materials to create a technology workforce for the rapidly changing biomanufacturing industry; 6) Providing professional development opportunities for biomanufacturing faculty members; and 7) Maintaining a website at www.biomanufacturing.org that provides communication between hubs, supports project management and provides a method through which curricula and instructional materials are being developed, tested and delivered. Biomanufacturing curriculum and education materials are being developed to produce high-quality, but individually distinct biotechnology programs at each of the Hubs to meet the needs of the industries within their service area. Workshop participants are engaging in curriculum development by providing feedback, suggesting modifications, and deploying the instructional materials in their classrooms. Utilizing the processes already developed at Minuteman Technical High School each of the Hubs is assisting in the development of high school biotechnology programs, developing articulation agreements between high schools and their Hub, developing processes to recruit and retain minority students and leveraging their outreach programs through a Department of Labor National Biomanufacturing Apprenticeship System for recent high school graduates. Industrial involvement is providing employment pathways for AA degree recipients, summer internships for faculty members at biomanufacturing companies, and input on curriculum development to support their training needs. Dissemination is through their website and linked to Bio-Link's website at www.bio-link.org.