Ohio Life Sciences provides $250,000 to Columbus State to accelerate biotechnology career entry
Campus News | Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Columbus State's Biotech Bootcamp teaches FDA regulations, Good Manufacturing Practices, cleanroom processes and lab equipment use in a 12-week program readying students for biotechnology production career entry.
Ohio Life Sciences, the state’s industry trade association for biotechnology and life sciences organizations, has provided $250,000 to Columbus State Community College to sponsor enrollment in the college’s Biotechnology Bootcamp over the next year.
The Biotechnology Bootcamp is a short-term certificate program that develops foundational
knowledge and skills needed to enter in-demand biomanufacturing and life sciences
careers. With curriculum and training developed by Columbus State faculty and central
Ohio biotechnology and biopharmaceutical employers, who are also represented by Ohio
Life Sciences, the 12-week program creates a career path for the underemployed, career-changers,
military veterans, high school and career-technical graduates, and those new to the
industry. The program will help develop the biotechnology and life sciences workforces,
two in-demand and growing fields in central Ohio.
Covering FDA regulations, Good Manufacturing Practices, cleanroom processes and lab equipment use, the bootcamp prepares students to enter the field as technicians making an average wage of $19 to $24 per hour and sets them up for continuing education as they advance their careers and increase their earnings. Continuing education options include Columbus State’s new Associate of Science in Biotechnology, which is launching in the upcoming autumn semester.
“We consider Columbus State’s Biotechnology Bootcamp to be a leading model for biotech career and workforce development, and it is our hope that our investment can scale up to meet the demands of the region’s life sciences industry,” said Eddie Pauline, Ohio Life Sciences president and CEO. “In developing this bootcamp, Columbus State has collaborated well with the growing number of area employers to create education opportunities that are affordable while still preparing students for success. Our goal is to help students get the training they need to join the biotech and life sciences industry, and to remove the burden of tuition, which so often stands in the way.”
“Ohio Life Sciences’ sponsorship is a leading example of how industry is not only partnering with the college, but investing in innovative models that broaden student access to career pathways within this life-changing industry,” said Cheryl Hay, executive director of Columbus State’s Office of Talent Strategy. “Ohio Life Sciences recognizes the commitment of our college to providing talent solutions to the region’s biomanufacturing sector and have worked shoulder to shoulder with us to create education pathways that enable a student to go from an entry-level training offering such as the bootcamp, into a comprehensive, employment-ready associate degree. The transferability of the college associate program into a bachelor’s program provides ongoing career growth for the vast student population we serve. This support from Ohio Life Sciences will be instrumental in raising awareness of biomanufacturing education options and the benefits of employment in the sector.”
The biotech and life sciences industry is growing rapidly in central Ohio and across the state. In the last four years, life sciences companies have invested more than $2 billion into new facilities and expansions, creating more than 7,350 new jobs. These positions pay well — averaging salaries around $90,000 a year, about 40% higher than the average annual income in Columbus. Ohio’s life sciences industry is expansive, encompassing biotech, biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, labs, digital health, gene and cell therapy, agricultural biotechnology, research and academic institutions.
Ohio Life Sciences’ $250,000 funding will enable Columbus State to scale up its Biotechnology Bootcamp program within the college’s Accelerated Training Centers noncredit career education portfolio to fund up to 80 students in the program over the next year. In addition to covering bootcamp student costs, the gift will also fund awareness-building and recruitment for Columbus State’s biotech programs.
“As we launch our new biotechnology degree, Ohio Life Sciences shows great timing in wanting to help ramp up interest in education in the field,” said program leader Matthew Saelzler, assistant professor in Biological and Physical Sciences and lead instructor for General Biology. Saelzler co-developed the college’s biotechnology associate with Sacha Tadros, assistant professor in Health Professions and Wellness. “Getting people started in the career is a great way to foster further education and training with us, that employers will be looking to as they grow and mature their workforces in the region,” he said.
“We applaud Ohio Life Sciences in recognizing the value of Columbus State’s biotech education programming and partnership with the local industry,” said Mandy Medve, senior director of talent acquisition for Forge Biologics, a leading gene therapy biotech company based in Columbus. “The Biotechnology Bootcamp is a consistent source for talented employee hires for our company, and it’s only one building block within the college’s workforce support for biomanufacturing employers. We look forward to seeing and being a part of what Columbus State does next in this exciting synergy between biotech employment needs and just-in-time curriculum alignment.”
About Ohio Life Sciences
Ohio Life Sciences (OLS), the state association advancing and advocating for the common interests of the state’s life sciences community, convenes dynamic companies, people and institutions to elevate the ecosystem in Ohio while supporting those that drive health, economic and social well-being in communities across the globe. OLS is organized as two nonprofit operations to best serve the life sciences ecosystem across the state, a 501c6 (Ohio Life Sciences Association) to serve as the member-based organization focused on economic and workforce development and advocacy; and a 501c3 (Ohio Life Sciences Foundation) focused on delivering research and funding that will accelerate and promote a robust life sciences industry in Ohio.
About Columbus State Community College
Serving more than 40,000 students annually, Columbus State is the largest community college in Ohio. The college has been nationally recognized for advancements in student success and workforce innovation, including the prestigious Leah Meyer Austin Award.
Among other collaborations to enhance student success and career opportunities, Columbus State convenes the Workforce Advisory Council, comprised of the chief talent officers of the largest employers in the region; co-facilitates the Central Ohio Compact, an alliance of leaders from K-12, higher education, employers, and social service groups focused on student achievement; and partners with four-year universities to offer debt-free pathways to bachelor’s degrees.
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