Implementation of an Industry-Recognized Credentialing System for Biotechnicians

ATE计划支持与工业界合作的生物技术技术人员教育计划，以确保培养熟练的生物科学技术劳动力。然而，在教育准备和企业对完成两年生物技术项目的潜在工人的认可之间仍然存在差距。报告预测，在未来十年，生命科学公司对熟练技术工人的需求将会增加，而填补这些职位将会很困难。因此，培养足够的生物技术人员是生物经济和相关部门的重要需求。该项目旨在通过业界认可的生物技术人员资格认证系统，弥合教育与行业之间的差距。最近，生物科学行业已经确定了生物技术助理资格考试（BACE）作为一个有效的工具来证明学生的能力。这个考试已经在六个州和哥伦比亚特区使用，因此增加了它成为行业认可的初级生物技术人员资格认证系统的潜力。该项目将在另外五个州试点BACE系统，建立工业和教育利益相关者联盟，并通过InnovATEBIO（一个NSF ATE卓越中心）和先进制造细胞疗法联盟（一个先进技术教育协调网络）广泛传播BACE。全国性的行业认证体系将为学生提供全国认可的便携证书，从而有助于解决生命科学行业的劳动力缺口问题。这种认证模式也可以为其他技术教育领域的认证方法提供信息。BACE证书是通过教育工作者与行业和行业代表的接触而开发的。这一合作伙伴关系将继续对证书进行评估，以确保其满足不断变化的行业需求。该项目打算增加乔治亚州、华盛顿州、加利福尼亚州、德克萨斯州和内布拉斯加州，以扩大使用BACE的州的数量。为此，将成立由产业界人士、教育界人士、政府代表组成的国家特别工作组。每个工作组将审查BACE在其所在州的使用和可持续性。每个州都将建立测试点，这些测试点将为教职员工和教师提供专业发展，以了解BACE，以便他们能够支持学生的考试准备。该项目将利用InnovATEBIO和先进细胞疗法制造联盟的广泛网络传播BACE证书，并通过国家和州行业协会、区级行业咨询委员会、教育委员会、技术教育工作者和政府官员进行传播。国家认可的证书具有强大的潜力，可以改善从两年制大学技术人员教育计划到生物技术行业就业的过渡。这一结果不仅将服务于该行业，还将通过确定全国各地需求的技能组合来服务于新兴劳动力。该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The ATE program supports biotechnology technician education programs that partner with industry to ensure the education of a skilled bioscience technical workforce. Yet, there remains a gap between educational preparation and industry’s recognition of potential workers who have completed two-year biotechnology programs. Over the next ten years, reports predict that life science companies will have an increased demand for skilled technical workers, and that filling these positions will be difficult. Thus, preparation of sufficient biotechnicians represents a significant need for the biological economy and related sectors. This project aims to bridge the gap between education and industry through an industry-recognized biotechnician credentialing system. Recently, the Bioscience Industry has identified the Biotechnician Assistant Credentialing Exam (BACE) as an effective tool to certify student capabilities. This exam is already used in six states and the District of Columbia, thus increasing its potential to become the industry-recognized credentialing system for entry-level biotechnicians. This project will pilot the BACE system in five additional states, build consortia of industry and education stakeholders, and disseminate BACE broadly through InnovATEBIO (an NSF ATE Center of Excellence) and the Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing of Cell-based Therapies (an Advanced Technical Education Coordination Network). A nationwide industry-recognized credentialing system will give students a portable credential that is recognized across the nation, thus helping to address the workforce gap in the life science industry. This credentialing model may also inform credentialing approaches for other areas of technician education.The BACE credential was developed through engagement of educators with industry and industry representatives. This partnership continues to evaluate the credential to ensure that it meets changing industry needs. This project intends to expand the number of states using the BACE by adding Georgia, Washington, California, Texas, and Nebraska. To this end, it will set up state task forces comprised of industry professionals, educational leaders, and government representatives. Each task force will examine the use and sustainability of BACE in their state. Testing sites will be established in each state, and the sites will provide faculty and teachers with professional development to understand the BACE, so they can support students’ exam preparation. The project will leverage the extensive networks of InnovATEBIO and the Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing of Cell-based Therapies to disseminate the BACE credential, and also disseminate it through national and state industry associations, district-level industry advisory boards, boards of education, technical educators, and government officials. A nationally recognized credential has strong potential to improve the transition from two-year college technician education programs to employment in the biotechnology industry. This result would not only serve the industry, but also serve the emerging workforce by identifying skillsets in demand across the country. 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.