Alamance Community College Developing Biopharma Quality Technicians for the Biotechnology Workforce

Project Description

This project serves the national interest by building a technically proficient workforce that will directly safeguard the quality and reliability of biopharmaceutical products. The project will develop an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in biopharma quality to address a skills gap highlighted by local industry representatives in quality control and quality assurance. With input from industry partners, the curriculum will enhance the knowledge, skills, and abilities of technicians and address critical needs for entry-level employment in the biopharmaceutical industry. The curriculum will stress competencies including quality control testing, regulatory compliance and process validation, and documentation and data integrity, while integrating data analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence (AI). Lab-intensive instruction and incorporation of real-world equipment will further prepare technicians for modern manufacturing environments. Micro-credentials will be embedded in courses to certify mastery of skills, providing employers with validation that graduates are competent and well-prepared. Train-the-trainer workshops and curriculum sharing via online platforms will expose faculty to techniques, content, and teaching methods, expanding the reach of the project.

The goals of the Biopharma Quality: Educating Skilled Technicians (BioQuEST) project are to develop a new AAS degree to prepare technicians for a career in biopharma quality; to recruit individuals to pursue the new degree; and to disseminate the curriculum to other community colleges around the nation. The project team will develop six new courses, which will embed micro-credentials and virtual reality modules. Each course will be delivered in a four-week or eight-week modality in hybrid format during the evening, to expand accessibility for working adults looking to upskill or change careers. This delivery method will provide a more flexible program, focusing on one core course at a time, which will reduce time commitment and immerse students in one content area. Recruitment will occur throughout Alamance County, NC, targeting nontraditional students. Traditional high school students will be targeted by engaging directly with biomedical course enrollees. An external evaluator will conduct formative and summative evaluation. The curriculum will be shared through online portals and by providing content-specific workshops for teachers. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program, which focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy.