The Biotechnology and Life Sciences Industry in the

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The Biotechnology and Life Sciences Industry in
the Southeast Florida Region

• Meeting the Workforce Challenges
• June 2005

Workforce Alliance, Inc. 326 Fern Street West
Palm Beach, FL 33401 Kathryn Schmidt,
President/CEO
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How Can the Southeast Florida Region

• Prepare workers for jobs in biotech and life
  sciences
• Capitalize on biotechs ability to create and
  sustain high wage jobs

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
3
Scope of the Study

• Analysis of existing biotechnology and life
  sciences cluster
• Projected life science occupational and skills
  demand
• Current education and training resources in the
  region
• Benchmark programs in other regions
• Recommendations

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
4
Existing Biotechnology / Life Sciences Cluster

• Currently, no large concentration in Palm Beach
  County
• The Southeast Florida region saw employment
  growth that was three times faster than national
  biotech growth in recent years
• Cluster growth in Palm Beach County has not
  matched regional growth
• Scripps Florida is expected to catalyze biotech
  growth

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
5
Existing Biotechnology / Life Sciences Cluster

• High concentration of medical laboratories and
  diagnostic imaging centers
• Marine science and agriculture are potential
  biotech competitive advantages for the region
• Florida Atlantic University is making strides to
  becoming biotech research center
• Strong set of industry associations

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Alternative Cluster Growth Scenarios

• Occupational demand through 2012 was projected
  using three different premises
• Baseline growth Southeast Florida region follows
  national growth trends
• Growth trajectory 1 Follows national growth, but
  adjusted upward to reflect actual biotech growth
  that occurred between 1998-2002
• Growth trajectory 2 Palm Beach County and the
  regional biotech growth outpaces national biotech
  growth

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Characteristics of Alternative Growth Curves

• Baseline growth Gradually expanding existing
  businesses and no or limited startup and/or
  relocation activities
• Growth trajectory 1 Characterized more by
  business expansions of existing firms than new
  business startups. Some growth from relocation
  and recruitment efforts.
• Growth trajectory 2 Significant relocations and
  expansions, plus Scripps-related spin-offs after
  five years of operation

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Projected Occupational Demand

• Under baseline trajectory, employment grows
  between 26 and 37
• Under growth trajectory 1, employment grows
  between 39 and 50.
• Under growth trajectory 2, employment grows
  between 102 and 124

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Projected Occupational DemandSoutheast Florida
Region

• Occupations expected to see the greatest growth
  through 2012 may be classified in three
  categories
• Biotechnology scientists (growing by 200 to 725
  jobs)
• Biotechnology science technicians (growing by
  1,425 to 4,425 jobs)
• Biomanufacturing production workers (growing by
  250 to 1,050 jobs)

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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High-Growth Biotech / Life Science Occupations
Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Biotechnology Scientists

• Less growth than other two categories
• Positions usually require advanced degrees and
  highest-order skills
• Some sample job titles are research director,
  analytical chemist, principal investigator,
  research scientist III.

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Biotechnology Science Technicians

• Highest growth potential
• Increasingly, most positions can be attained with
  a two-year degree
• Positions that require bachelors degree can
  often be worked up to from entry level
• Some sample job titles are medical laboratory
  technician, lab associate, sonographer, research
  assistant

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
13
Biomanufacturing Production Workers

• Marginal growth
• Most positions can be filled with workers below
  two-year degree level.
• Skills needed are similar to those of other
  manufacturing industries
• Sample job titles include maintenance
  technician, pressman, first-line supervisor,
  chemical equipment operators, electrician.

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Regional Biotech / Life Science Education
Training Assets

• Palm Beach and Indian River Community Colleges
  are starting biotech technician programs
• School District of Palm Beach County is starting
  two high school Biotechnology Academies
• Post-secondary institutions are developing
  partnerships to respond to regions biotech
  workforce needs, e.g., FAUs Biotechnology
  Certificate

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Benchmark Programs

• Career pathways allow incremental delivery of
  training interspersed with work opportunities,
  e.g., San Franciscos OnRamp Bridge to
  BioTechnology
• Partnerships with industry e.g. San Diegos
  SANDAG program
• Dividing and clustering allows individual
  education and training institutions to develop
  areas of specific expertise then to share their
  resources with other institutions e.g North
  Carolinas BioNetwork

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Recommendations

• Further engage biotechnology companies
• Work closely with existing industry associations
• Engage with BioFlorida and South Florida
  Manufacturers Association
• Ensure close communication with Scripps Florida

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Recommendations

• Support and expand biotechnology educational
  programs, especially at the technician level
• Core curricular content should be general
• Regional competitive advantagee.g., marine
  science and agricultureshould be incorporated
  through labs and projects

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Recommendations

• Create biotechnology modules or elective courses
  for non-biotech education programs
• Consider existing online content in the state
• Content should be created by faculty teams from
  different educational institutions
• A few core modules should be initially created
• Flexible to respond to industry demand
• Potential topics include overview of
  biotechnology, quality assurance / quality
  control, regulatory issues, bioethics

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Recommendations

• Seek additional funding to expand Workforce
  Alliance-funded one-year Biotechnology
  Certificate to lower educational levels as the
  cluster grows.

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Recommendations

• Develop short courses for incumbent workers
• Offer modules to companies existing workers
• Short courses for technical workers
• Make these courses credit bearing
• Potential topics include advanced regulatory
  affairs, project management, data gathering and
  documentation , monitoring compliance with
  laboratory standards, lab equipment maintenance.

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Recommendations

• Develop career pathways
• Industry growth will produce relatively
  low-skilled biotechnology jobs that could
  represent the first rung of a career pathway
• Palm Beach County has the pieces in place for an
  initiative that includes easy entrance/exit
  career pathways

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Recommendations

• Coordinate biotech-related education and training
  resources across the Southeast Florida Region
• Consider creating a virtual organization to
  engage industry and to create appropriate,
  flexible education and training resources on a
  regional basis.

Workforce Alliance, Inc.
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Recommendations

• Possible functions of regional organization
• Monitoring industry and workforce needs
• Interfacing with industry organizations
• Coordinating specialization among providers
• Identifying benchmark practices
• Improving access for the disadvantaged
• Sponsoring faculty development opportunities

Workforce Alliance, Inc.