Biotech Beat: From Retail to Maintenance Manager--Making the Transition while Raising a Family

In this episode of the Biotech Beat podcast you’ll meet Bev, a community college alum who has built a successful career in the biotechnology industry.  Bev works at Novo Nordisk in Clayton, North Carolina. Bev considered various career options--she knew a good one would take some college experience so while looking at the Johnston Community College (JCC) website she saw nursing, cosmetology, and biomanufacturing (offered through BioWork, a certificate program that has classes at night). Although she started the BioWork program with the idea to do a semester certificate, she ended up completing a 2 year AA degree. With 4 young children (at the time she joined the program) and the need to support them she feels her decision to go back to school and complete her degree was incredibly impactful. Before she came to Novo Nordisk she worked in fast food and retail, jobs that she could get with a high school degree. 

Bev felt very supported at JCC--an advisor helped her every step of the way to make sure things went smoothly. And the BioWork program itself prepared her very well with the right mindset and skill sets to succeed in a biomanufacturing environment. Bev knows that when she goes to work she is making medicines that could save people's lives!

According to Bev, the hardest part of the JCC program was juggling classes and childrens' schedules. She admires the way JCC adjusted and now offers many classes online--using what they learned during COVID to make education more accessible. Bev credits the staff, particularly Susan Kaple, with listening when needed and guiding her to resources when things like gas money, or school book prices threatened to derail her journey. Classmates also pitched in, occasionally baby-sitting so that Bev could make it to a night-class.

Bev recently took the position of Maintenance Manager at Novo Nordisk, however she started as a manufacturing associate and worked her way up to management. However she believes that the entry manufacturing position is the foundation of the work--without them there would be no production of medicines! Her current position is a 12 hour shift with alternating sets of days, and her job is to make sure the employees have what they need to do their jobs efficiently. She believes that coming out of a certificate program someone can earn $18-$28 an hour, depending on the company and hiring factors, along with very good benefits in her current position. At Novo Nordisk there is a lot of opportunity for growth with employees usually staying in a position for 2 years to master the essential skills, and also give the next person who will take over the position a chance to get acclimated. 

Bev stated that "she feels like she can breathe", now that she is working in biotech. Financially, she can pay her bills, put food on the table for her family, and be more stable financially. Her advice to those thinking of transitioning into biotech? "Make that first step!" Fill out the application, make the phone call, sit down and talk to someone, you do not need to finish it, but just learning about the options could make all the difference.

Biotech Beat podcast, hosted by Peter Kazarinoff, Editor in Chief of the Journal of Advanced Technological Education (JATE)

Tune in on Spotify,  iHeart Radio, or Apple Podcasts for more of Bev's story and advice on how to build a career while building a family.

Funded by NSF grant  Alumni and Industry Engagement ATE project (DUE 2202011)