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BTEC: Meeting the needs of a growing biomanufacturing workforce

Published May 30, 2024

BTEC’s mission to develop skilled professionals for the biomanufacturing industry is now more critical than ever. Job growth in North Carolina’s biopharmaceutical industry is expected to increase by 25% over the next few years, from 32,000 in 2023 to 40,000 by 2026, according to a 2023 report by the North Carlina Biotechnology Center. A recent case in point: 680 jobs will be created by FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies’ $1.2 billion expansion of its large-scale cell culture biomanufacturing site in Holly Springs, which Gov. Roy Cooper announced recently (source: North Carolina Department of Commerce).

Jennifer Pancorbo, BTEC’s director of Industry Programs and Research, recently spoke to Spectrum News about how the center provides individuals with the education and training to work in this growing field. BTEC’s undergraduate, graduate and industry-training programs provide learners with hands-on experience using industry-standard equipment in the facility’s simulated cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice) pilot plant. Enrollment by NC State students in BTEC programs is robust, with many courses routinely at capacity, and BTEC’s industry training is also in demand. In addition, the center operates a Contract Services program, headed by Pancorbo, which provides process development, analytical testing and development, and technology evaluation to industry, government and academic organizations.

Two representatives from FUJIFILM Diosynth currently sit on BTEC’s Advisory Board, which includes representatives from biopharmaceutical firms, industry-related organizations, NC State, and BioNetwork, the North Carolina Community College System’s life science training initiative.