BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To continue to provide opportunities for students without a college degree to embrace careers in STEM, the BioBuilder Education Foundation has launched BioTechBuilder. The off-the-shelf curriculum offers lessons and lab trainings as a complete solution for educating a future-ready workforce to support the growing biotechnology industry. After completion of the program, students are prepared to take micro-credentialling assessments that support their immediate entry into the biotech workforce after high school graduation, helping address the skilled labor shortage impacting the biotech industry today.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 40% of students are now taking time off after high school or choosing not to go to college altogether. Through strategic partnerships with industry leaders, such as UCB, BioMADE, Ginkgo Bioworks, and Daicel Arbor Biosciences, BioBuilder has developed a curriculum that prepares students for meaningful careers in the bioeconomy with or without post-secondary education. BioTechBuilder is designed to support students nationwide who want to begin their biotechnology and biomanufacturing careers after high school. It provides a direct link to entry-level STEM positions with industry-recognized micro-credentials required to be successful employees.
“High school students should be given a chance to experience what the work is like before they choose one career path over another. We’ve seen how offering more exposure to “real-world” science and STEM career skills can excite students about science and help them decide to pursue careers in this field. The launch of BioTechBuilder is an example of our continued commitment address the gaps in the bioeconomy workforce,” said Dr. Natalie Kuldell, founder and executive director of BioBuilder. “Because it was co-developed with academic partners and industry-leading companies, BioTechBuilder will give students a leg up and way into great careers in biotechnology and biomanufacturing, regardless of if they choose to attend college or go directly into the workforce.”
Designed to be a “biotechnology-in-a-box" curriculum for easy implementation in schools around the U.S., BioTechBuilder offers accessible and engaging modules to build scientific understanding and student confidence in DNA and protein analysis, biomanufacturing and synthetic biology through at-the-bench training, lab practicals and peer-to-peer learning.
Starting this summer, Carolina Biological Supply Company will host the BioTechBuilder curriculum and supply kits with necessary laboratory materials. The BioScience Core Skills Institute will administer both essential and advanced micro-credential tests. Through a collaboration involving Clark University, Worcester Public Schools, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center and Mass Biomedical Initiatives, students in Worcester’s public school piloted the BioTechBuilder curriculum during the spring 2024 semester to help increase their exposure to STEM. Preliminary testing data shows that the curriculum was effective in preparing students for careers in STEM, with 82% of all students receiving at least one micro-credential.
“As the biotech industry continues to grow, there is an urgent need for passionate and highly skilled workers to join us in solving the world’s greatest challenges with life science,” said Jon Weaver, president and CEO of Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives (MBI). “We are excited by programs like BioTechBuilder that will help the next generation master the fundamental knowledge and hands-on techniques used in biotechnology so that they can join the industry workforce as soon as possible.”
To learn more about BioTechBuilder, please visit https://biotechbuilder.org.
About BioBuilder:
Created by an award-winning team from MIT, BioBuilder is a nonprofit helping educate a future-ready workforce that will solve some of the world’s greatest challenges by bringing tomorrow’s science into today’s classrooms. BioBuilder has worked with schools in over 55 countries and 49 states, impacting over 63,000 students. By inspiring students and educators to learn and love science, we equip the next generation through experiential learning opportunities tailored to high school students. Through in-classroom, after school, and dedicated cohort programs, we are providing exposure to real-world STEM applications to students in urban, rural and underserved communities. By matching our curriculum with the needs of the biotech industry, our goal is to bring BioBuilder to every school in America. For more information about BioBuilder, visit www.biobuilder.org.