The document provides an overview of the bioscience industry in Colorado, including its economic impact, job opportunities, and necessary skills for future employees. It outlines the current workforce challenges, educational gaps, and the need for improved training programs while highlighting the need for greater collaboration between industry and educational institutions. Additionally, it discusses the allocation of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds and emphasizes the importance of connecting students and employers to meet workforce demands.

1. Good Morning Thomas Suggs

2. A Brief Overview of the Bioscience Industry Topics : What is Bioscience? How does it fit into Colorado’s economy? What kind of jobs are expected? What skills are going to be required of present and future employees? What educational or training opportunities are available and need to be created? Where do we go from here? Where is the ARRA money going?

3. What is Bioscience? Bioscience covers several fields: Agriculture Bioenergy Electronic Medical Devices Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Source: Colorado Bioscience Roadmap, 2008

4. Source: Colorado Bioscience Roadmap, 2008

5. Note the heavy proportion of medical technicians and research-based jobs Source: Colorado Bioscience Roadmap. 2008

6. Colorado Bioscience at a Glance: Total Employment, 2006: 18,000 Number of Establishments, 2006: 920* Employment Growth 2001–2006: 5.5% Growth in Number of Establishments, 2001–2006: 27.9% Average Wages, 2006: $67,320 Academic Bioscience R&D Expenditures, FY 2006: $405 million NIH Funding, 2007: $317 million * Actual number of individual businesses: 460 Source: Colorado Bioscience Roadmap, 2008

7. Source: Colorado Bioscience Roadmap, 2008 * An LQ greater than 1.0 for a particular industry indicates that the region is relatively concentrated, whereas an LQ less than 1.0 signifies a relative under-representation. An LQ above 1.20 denotes employment concentration well above the national average.

8. Source: Colorado Bioscience Roadmap, 2008 Colorado Bioscience Employment and Establishments by Metropolitan Area, 2002-2006

9. How many Bioscience companies are in Jefferson County?

10. How many Bioscience companies are in Jefferson County? According to the Jefferson Economic Council – 56 According to the Colorado Bioscience Association: Medical device and related companies – 33 Biotechnical, Pharma, and related companies – 8 Research and educational institutions – 1

11. What kinds of jobs are available in Bioscience?

12. In general, there are four major occupational categories: 1. High-level scientists (chemists, microbiologists, molecular modeler, medical doctors, and toxicology/pharmacology scientists) 2. Engineers (electrical, mechanical, and software) 3. Technicians/associates (research associates, biology associates, histotechnicians, repair technicians, clinical lab workers and nurses, and manufacturers) 4. Business and operational staff (managers, sales representatives, customer service, legal, HR, IT, and office/admin, etc.) According to industry experts, career ladders are needed for all occupational categories; however, engineers are most in demand and are considered the weakest category. Source: Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, 2007

13. Industries with similar practices or principles can trade employees who have the requisite training, but even similar fields have such differences in terminology and methodology that students/employees have difficulty moving from one to the other. However, even a rudimentary introduction to bioscience can help IT staff (for example) move into the field. Cross-Matching

14. Source: Colorado LMI Gateway, 2009

15. Source: Colorado LMI Gateway, 2009

16. Source: Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, 2007

17. What skills are going to be required by present and future employees?

18. College and university graduates with at least a BS/BA in a related field. MS/MAs and Ph.D.s will also be in high demand. In addition to higher education, job seekers will need extensive experience in laboratory/research settings Technicians will need experience in regulated industries (ISO 9000/ISO 9001, certified auditors, etc.) All employers have indicated a lack of “soft-skills”: the ability to manage time and responsibilities, communication skills (written and oral), teamwork, etc. Exacting attention to details Ability to learn and function in multiple parts of the company

19. Additionally, job-seekers will need to demonstrate: Leadership Business skills Technical literacy Critical thinking Complex problem solving And experience in the industry (in order of preference): 6-14 years 15+ years 0-5 years 6-14 years experience is the most frequently required experience level for in-demand occupations across the sectors Source: Metro Denver Wired, 2007

20. “ Foundation skills in science, math, and communications are the most important workforce characteristics to the Bioscience industry. Project management and manufacturing skills are also highly valued. The Bioscience industry is experiencing a growing demand for workers with specific certifications and high ethical and security standards to meet the needs of their clients.” Source: Development Research Partners, 2007

21. Employees will need good skills in proper documentation, lab methodology, simple data analysis, measurements, and “lab hands.” They will need to develop “lab sense” vs. relying on common sense, neither of which will come from academic instruction. SOPs, GLPs, GCPs, CGMPs Also, “lab math” is a necessity. Not calculus but at least algebra, molar and percent calculations, standard curve generation and use. All of this must be follow-able by others. Solutions vs. buffers… actually make them, not just talk about them. Breaking down these skills necessary even further…

22. Other Workforce Issues: “ In addition to the lack of skills and workers needed, the most important workforce needs for Bioscience businesses surround linking companies with each other and with educational institutions. The Bioscience industry needs more access, flexibility, and communication from educational institutions. More internship programs, teacher-inresidence programs, and externship programs are important to connect industry with the educational pipeline.” Source: Development Research Partners, 2007

23. Key Findings Shared By All WIRED Industry Panels: Workforce pipeline requires larger talent pool, with improved STEM, soft, business and technology skills High value placed on industry experience and internships Industry perception “make-overs” needed More targeted assistance required from the Workforce System Greater awareness needed of Workforce services Increased connectivity and alignment with Education Source: Metro Denver Wired, 2007

24. The Disconnect Between Traditional Education and Industry Needs The problem with current academic training is that classroom experience supports texts, not real-life environments and expectations. Occasionally, classroom experience is opposite of actual industrial needs. Students with four-year degrees may not be prepared for workforce any better than people with two-year degrees or certifications. Reverse articulation is more common than in the past.

25. Lab skills are most frequently learned in CHE 101/102, which have nothing to do with bioscience or biotech industry. And little or none are taught in biology classes. Typically students are not given nearly enough repetitions, and all work is prepared for students, so they do not learn about prep or cleanup. Not enough problem-solving or trouble-shooting in regular classroom. “Industry vs. academic standards.” Good grades vs. mastering skills. Learning a skill vs. performance.

26. Educational Opportunities and Training So where can jobseekers turn in the Denver Metro area for education, training, or professional development? Bio- Link.org Website -- Colorado Biotechnology in Education & Industry

29. What are business saying?

30. The classic internship is not popular with bioscience companies. Usually, 6-18 months are required before an employee is useful to company. Interns leave in 3-6 months, so why bother? Companies need someone who can be productive and lucrative as quickly as possible. Smaller companies are too busy with “A” projects to worry about interns, new hires with no experience. Larger companies may be better set up for this, but they may hire only one or and two at a time. Finally, security issues (vias, green card, IP, etc.) can create problems.

31. Only 10-15% turnover in bioscience. More turnover with BS/MS than with an AA. Talent is often recruited from within the company or from within the industry, especially for higher-level or engineering positions. Opportunities will appear in the next 3-5 years. The exact timeframe is unknown because retirees are staying around longer. CRCs are not popular with bioscience companies.

32. So where do we start?

33. Recruitment – high school students, current industry employees, adults changing careers, inadequately trained BS/MS graduates. Two-year or certification programs do not necessarily need to matriculate into a four-year program, but they can. In the end, that is not the ultimate goal of the former. Recruitment tools – web site, classroom presentations, letters/mailings, media, high school counselors. Note : High school counselors often do not recommend that talented students attend two-year schools. They are pushing for them to attend four-year institutions.

34. Programs will teach on core skills, with students focusing on specific skills, rather than a broader, theoretical issues. Companies will “fill in the gaps” with OJT specific to their situation. Possibly create an intro to bioscience course covering: Product development SOPs, GLPs, GLPs, CGMPs Employer expectations Maybe an instrumentation for the biotech lab class, sort of an “instrumentations’ greatest hits” taught by an industry expert? Model other existing programs ( Biotechnology Laboratory Technician - Montgomery College, Maryland )

35. On-line, non-credit programs are becoming more available. Also immersive learning systems (VR, gaming) have begun to appear as an alternative to traditional classroom instruction. Consider replication opportunities. Once industry is on board, it will expect a quality program and will bail if one is not delivered, or if the graduates are not quality. (Typically 3-5 years to put together a quality program, and even then only a handful of grads will be produced at first.)

36. Partners must include higher education, economic development offices, major industry players, local public schools, workforce centers. Seek direct input from industry when developing the program, demonstrating how it will decrease time before employees become productive, and that employers are better able to retain entry-level employees. Create an advisory board to gain credibility. Focus on companies that have a stake in the program’s success; more members are not necessarily better. Look for people who want something – do they want to network, hire, etc.? Avoid the high school “gimmie” mentality. One must offer something other than your needs.

37. One last topic to cover…

38. How should the Workforce Development Center best use its resources and ARRA funding to address the needs of Bioscience companies in the Tri-County region? The 2.2 - 2.7 million dollar question:

39. A word about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 How the money is to be allocated to the Bioscience industry has not been released However, it seems apparent that the bulk of the money will go to research institutions Little or no funding will be provided for established employers or for start-ups, unless they are part of a Bioscience incubator associated with a college’s or university’s research efforts As one observer noted: “More money being pushed down the same pipes.”

40. Special thanks given to Collins Jones , Coordinator Biotechnology Program, Montgomery College, MD Allyson Hathaway , CDLE April Giles , Vice President, Colorado Bioscience Association Eric Larsen , Vice President, Neenan Archistruction Lori Kelman , Department Chair and Bioscience Professor, Montgomery College, MD Russ Read , Forsyth Tech and BioNetwork Elaine Johnson , Director, Bio-Link Jerry McCarthy , MetroDenver WIRED David Sanso , President, BioVision Stephen G. Boyes , Colorado School of Mines Matthew Meyer , Vice-President for Innovation and BioTech, North Carolina CC System Tamara Goetz , Science Advisor for the Utah Governor’s Office Joseph Naft , Associate Director of Mtech, Towson University Deanna Scott , Director, BioMARC Regional Training Center , CSU Todd Allen , CAMT Growth Strategy Advisor Ann Winslow , Education Research Further information acquired though interviews, web information, and the Denver Business Journal

41. Thank You.