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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – North Carolina military service members take their career to the next level with a program that combines their interpersonal and leadership skills with focused technical training.

They acquire professional skills through the Military Service Members in Biopharma Manufacturing (MSMBM) initiative. It is a public-private partnership that covers manufacturing certification tuition fees at educational institutions in North Carolina and Texas.

Up to 25 North Carolina military service members, veterans, and their spouses participate in BioWork certificate programs at Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) and Durham Technical Community College. Once the training is completed, the partner companies Pfizer and Merck will connect interns to career opportunities in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Both companies have large manufacturing operations in the Research Triangle area.

The CCCC welcomed the first cohort from May 24 to June 21. The four-week program concluded with ex-military, veterans and spouses certified to take on biofabrication positions. Durham Tech begins an eight-week training course for the military on July 7.

The BioWork certificate is the first step for those looking for positions in the field of bioproduction. The courses teach students the basic skills needed to start a successful career in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, including current good manufacturing practices, technological and equipment processes, quality control, fundamentals of biofabrication operations. and more.

The latest move is not the first time the state has reached out to introduce the military to jobs in biofabrication. In 2019, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center partnered with Fort Bragg to provide an overview of the BioWork certification program.

The BioWork Blitz workshops have been designed to increase awareness of rewarding careers in the life sciences. During these sessions, students learned about personal protective equipment, dressing procedures and the growth and careers of the biopharmaceutical industry.

Support initiative for public-private partnerships

The MSMBM is funded by a grant of $ 400,000 from the National Institute for Innovation in the Manufacturing of Biopharmaceuticals and is a collaboration between public and private partners dedicated to the growth of the life sciences pipeline. The lead organization of the MSMBM is the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station through its National Therapeutic Products Manufacturing Center. Texas, like North Carolina, has a significant military presence and will directly benefit from the program.

(C) NC Biotechnology Center