Leveraging the state-of-the-art Jefferson Institute for Bioprocessing (JIB) and with input from an industry task force, Montgomery Community College, Bucks County Community College, and Thomas Jefferson University joined together to developed an innovative, cost-effective NIIMBL Education Platform (NEP) to provide a way for students to transition into entry-level bioprocessing industry positions while offering transcript-able and transferable academic credits.
The NEP includes both cross-disciplinary educational curriculum and an experiential component. The NEP curriculum aims to:
Developed the NIIMBL Education Platform (NEP) to provide community college graduates with intensive bioprocessing training.
Delivered a five-week hands-on training program in a simulated GMP environment.
Engaged an Industry Task Force (Merck, GSK, Janssen, Wuxi) to align curriculum with real-world competencies.
Established articulation agreements and a replicable model for curriculum development.
This project tackled the regional shortage of entry-level biomanufacturing technicians by creating the NIIMBL Education Platform (NEP), featuring three credential-bearing courses that form a six-credit Bioprocessing Badge from Thomas Jefferson University. Ten students completed a five-week intensive program combining online and hands-on GMP-simulated training, improving assessment scores from 59% to 79%, with most graduates securing placement or advancement. Additional outcomes include articulation agreements for seamless progression to a BS in Biotechnology, establishing a sustainable pathway for workforce development and career growth in biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
Three courses, Principles of Upstream Biomanufacturing, Principles of Downstream Biomanufacturing, and Basics of Analytical Techniques, approved for transcriptable credit and integrated into a Bioprocessing Badge credential.
Cohort of 10 students trained; majority placed in industry roles or advanced to higher education, with articulation agreements supporting continued career progression.
Delivered a five-week intensive program at Jefferson Institute for Bioprocessing, combining remote and in-person instruction under COVID-19 safety protocols.
Pre/post assessments showed a 20-point improvement in scores (59% to 79%), reflecting enhanced technical competency.
Bridging the Gap: A Biopharmaceutical Processing Workforce Development Continuum (PC2.2-094), NIIMBL Member Forum, Virtual, August 27, 2020.
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Thomas Jefferson University
Bucks County Community College
Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
Montgomery County Community College
