September 13, 2022 (Cambridge, MA) – The Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation (MassBioEd) is one of four partners in the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (OWD)’s recently awarded Greater Boston Equitable Apprenticeship Pathways Grant. The $3 million grant will enable OWD and its partners to create and expand pre-apprenticeship programs that lead to entry into quality Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAP). From the $3 million grant awarded to the City of Boston from the U.S. Department of Labor, MassBioEd has been granted $915,000 over four years to build out a new pre-apprenticeship program and expand the current Life Sciences Apprenticeship Program targeting individuals who have been historically underrepresented in the life sciences industry.

The pre-apprenticeship program will serve as an on-ramp to MassBioEd’s RAP, which prepares participants for Clinical Trial Associates and Biomanufacturing Technicians positions, careers that are projected to see significant growth over the next five years. MassBioEd’s Life Sciences Apprenticeship Program is targeted to unemployed and under-employed individuals, people of color, veterans transitioning out of service, and immigrants with science education or experience in their native country. Outreach will be dedicated to Greater Boston residents and include collaboration with local organizations such as community centers and career offices.

Planning and designing of the pre-apprenticeship program will take place in year 1, followed by full implementation in years 2-4. MassBioEd expects to serve 70 total participants in the new pre-apprenticeship program over the course of the grant period  with 75% of pre-apprenticeship participants expected to enroll in one of the registered apprenticeship career tracks. Expansion of the Biomanufacturing Technician and Clinical Trial Associate apprenticeships will provide more biotechnology opportunities  for those who have historically been left out of the industry. Employer partners of the MassBioEd Life Sciences Apprenticeship Program represent a range of life sciences companies, and have included AbbVie, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Arranta Bio, Blueprint Medicines, Bristol Myers Squibb, Corning Life Sciences, Covis Pharma, Ginkgo Bioworks, Halloran Consulting, Jounce Therapeutics, Magenta Therapeutics, MassBiologics, Pfizer, Replimune, Rentschler,  Surface Oncology, Takeda, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

A key part of MassBioEd’s mission is to increase diversity in the life sciences workforce, we recognize diversity as including race, ethnicity, gender, age, class, education, opportunity, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, religion, and physical abilities. We work to build diversity in the life sciences by providing services to historically underserved youth and adults to support their entry into life science careers. Our mission begins with our commitment to building an internal culture based on our values of inclusiveness, respect, accountability, and trust, and commitment to diversity and equity at all levels of our organization.

To learn more about MassBioEd’s Life Sciences Apprenticeship Program, visit https://www.massbioed.org/apprenticeship-program/.

To learn more about the City of Boston award, read Mayor Michelle Wu’s announcement here: https://www.boston.gov/news/boston-awarded-grant-us-department-labor-expand-access-apprenticeship-programs-bipoc-residents

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About MassBioEd Foundation

The MassBioEd Foundation (MassBioEd) is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit organization. Its mission is to build a sustainable life sciences workforce in the region through educational programs that engage and excite teachers, inspire and propel students, and illuminate the pathway from the classroom to careers with a focus on expansion, opportunity, and diversity.