Advancing Progress in Industrial BioManufacturing to Accelerate Workforce Readiness

迅速发展的生物技术部门需要一支在生物制造的各个方面都受过培训的劳动力。尤其是，该项目正在引领劳动力规划的发展，旨在提高生物工业制造这一新兴领域的职业准备和职业能力。虽然现有的生物技术学位和证书课程提供了关键的核心技能，但它们没有达到工业规模生物加工需求的技能和能力的行业基准。需要新的课程来教授关键的工程原理，如生物工艺和产品的分析、设计、开发、放大和商业化。要扩大人才库以利用我国社区大学现有的生物技术项目基础设施，将需要开发和采用新的课程材料，以整合生物过程工程的关键基准。作为该项目的一部分创建的教学模块将指导其他学院在该项目的横向扩展阶段进行材料调整和课程整合。三个目标指导该项目在Delgado社区学院(DCC)和生物工业制造与设计生态系统(BioMADE)之间的合作。首先是为劳动力机构、学术机构和工业/商业实体正式建立一个实践共同体(COP)，为地方、地区和国家在生物工业制造方面的劳动力努力提供信息。第二是开发、测试和最终确定符合生物工业制造性能基准的关键生物处理概念教育模块。第三是通过部署课程材料和传播努力，如行业驱动的讲习班、政府机构间合作以及扩大社区和技术学院课程采用，增加多样化和包容性劳动力生态系统的能力以及职业入门。该项目将填补与生物加工相关的知识空白，适合从事生物工业制造的职业。这些努力将有助于建立一支准备充分、具有行业资质和多样化的生物制造劳动力。拟议的BioMADE项目不仅将产生资源，为生物工业制造业的高技能技术人员提供技能和晋升机会，而且还将确保该行业拥有推动创新和区域生物经济安全所需的人才。该项目将增加进入美国南部腹地生物工业制造业劳动力的学生数量和多样性，但产生的资源将在更广泛的范围内加强现有的生物技术劳动力计划。BioMADE将通过影响我们现役和退伍军人的渠道、现有的生物技术教育计划、当地劳动力发展机构以及跨部门/跨政府机构网络来广泛传播这些资源。该项目由高级技术教育计划资助，该计划专注于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The rapidly expanding sector of biotechnology requires a workforce trained in all aspects of biomanufacturing. This project, in particular, is leading the development of workforce programming designed to increase career readiness and occupational competencies in the emerging space of bioindustrial manufacturing. While existing programs that lead to degrees and credentials in biotechnology provide critical core skills, they fall short of meeting the industry benchmarks for the skills and competencies in demand for industrial scale bioprocessing. New curricula are needed to teach critical engineering principles such as analysis, design, development, scale-up, and commercialization of bio-based processes and products. Expansion of the talent pool to leverage the existing biotechnology program infrastructure in our Nation’s community colleges will require the development and adoption of new curricular materials to integrate key benchmarks for bioprocess engineering. Instructional modules created as part of this project will guide other colleges with materials adaptation and course integration during the scale-out phase of the project.Three goals guide this project's collaboration between Delgado Community College (DCC) and Bioindustrial Manufacturing and Design Ecosystem (BioMADE). First is to formalize a Community of Practice (CoP) for workforce agencies, academic institutions, and industry/commercial entities to inform local, regional, and national workforce efforts in bioindustrial manufacturing. Second is to develop, test, and finalize key bioprocessing concept education modules that meet performance benchmarks for bioindustrial manufacturing. Third is to increase capacity of a diverse and inclusive workforce ecosystem as well as career entry through the deployment of curricular materials and dissemination efforts, such as industry-driven workshops, government interagency collaboration, and expanded community and technical college curriculum adoption. This project will fill knowledge gaps related to bioprocessing for careers in bioindustrial manufacturing. These efforts will contribute to a well-prepared, industry-qualified, and diverse biomanufacturing workforce. Not only will the proposed BioMADE project produce resources that will address skills and advancement opportunities for high-skilled technicians in the bioindustrial manufacturing industry, but it will ensure that that industry has the talent it needs to drive innovation and regional bioeconomic security. This project will increase the number and diversity of students who enter the bioindustrial manufacturing workforce in the deep South of the United States, but the resources generated will enhance existing biotechnology workforce programs more widely. BioMADE will disseminate these resources broadly through channels that impact our active and veteran military, existing biotechnology education programs, local workforce development agencies, and interagency/cross-government agency networks. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced technology fields that drive the Nation's economy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.