MassBioEd News
By Chinanu Okoli – Boston University Statehouse Program
Apr 1, 2025
Local biotechnology leaders want employers, training providers and industry hopefuls to take advantage of the opportunities available in life sciences apprenticeships.
Members of the Massachusetts Apprentice Network held a virtual panel discussion last week to explain to over 50 attendees how apprenticeships connect biotech companies with untapped talent.
“We’re learning the details that others don’t know about and we learn it on the job,” said Stephane Lamour, 40, a process technician apprentice at Pfizer through the apprenticeship program at the Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation. “So far, it’s been moving at the speed of light, but I’m learning quite a lot.”
Lamour’s path to apprenticeship was non-linear. He did biotech research in college, but started his career at a healthcare staffing agency. After several years passed, he wanted to get back into research, but struggled to find work. Eventually, he found job openings online in 2023 – that summer, Pfizer accepted his application and he’s served as an apprentice for the company ever since.
“Once I found out about the program, I was really excited,” he said. “I could see it for what it was, which was a great opportunity.”
Apprenticeships are “learn and earn” positions for people looking to develop their skills around specific occupational roles. Once candidates are selected for entry into a program, they spend around 9-15 weeks completing classroom and lab work in their industry. Afterwards, they will work for at least a year at a company or organization, completing the same assignments expected of regular employees.
“Most of the time, they don’t even know I’m an apprentice, they think I’m just an employee,” Lamour said of his Pfizer colleagues. “That proximity to be seen as an employee is helpful.”
An alternative to a college degree
Apprenticeships aim to prepare individuals for full-time employment and long-term career opportunities, according to the Massachusetts Apprentice Network, which partners with over 30 employers, civic organizations, and educational institutions. The state touts apprenticeships as alternatives for people unable to obtain college degrees.
While apprenticeships have a storied history in Massachusetts and across the country, they’ve only begun to impact the biotech industry in the last five to 10 years.
“Employers don’t see this as a charitable activity,” said Brian Souza, vice president of workforce development at MassBioEd. “This is a part of the talent strategy. It’s about doing everything we can to assist our talent partners in doing the work.”
Souza said that while the life sciences workforce continues to grow, industry dynamics remain a challenge for apprenticeships.
“Because the apprenticeship model starts with an employer and ends with a job… it’s a harder sell at the moment,” he said. “In an environment with reductions, it’s hard for an employer to make that commitment in advance.”
Still, when asked about concerns over the Trump administration’s attempts to cut federal funding for various programs, including Covid-19 pandemic responses and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Souza said there wasn’t much to worry about.
“At least at the moment, what’s happening at the federal level doesn’t feel like it’s impacting the apprenticeship program,” he said.
Chris Brett, Pfizer’s senior manager of maintenance and utility operations, said more visibility needs to be brought to apprenticeships.
“There’s a lot of folks out there who don’t know that this is a career path,” he said. “Right now, it’s a lot of word of mouth.”
Brett said that apprentices are valuable to the organizations they work for and that life sciences employers should consider having them on their teams.
“You’re getting committed individuals who have already shown a certain level of desire,” he said. “That shows a level of commitment you’re not getting in other workers.”
Lamour has just a few weeks left of his apprenticeship. In an interview after the panel, he said he’s hoping to land a permanent position at Pfizer. Regardless of where he ends up though, he thinks his apprenticeship has paid off.
“I’ve gleaned some insight into what the industry has to offer and what the work is like in that space,” Lamour said. “And I’ve confirmed that this is something I enjoy and want to do going forward.”
The Massachusetts Apprentice Network hopes to place 1,000 people in apprenticeships by 2027. Those looking for apprenticeship opportunities can visit the state’s registered apprenticeship webpage.