PRESS RELEASE

BOSTON, MA — [July 16, 2026] — The Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation (MassBioEd) and Apprenti today announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the adoption of Registered Apprenticeship programs across the life sciences industry, helping employers address critical workforce needs while expanding access to high-quality careers nationwide.

The partnership brings together two organizations that have helped pioneer apprenticeship pathways in life sciences. MassBioEd launched the nation’s first Registered Apprenticeship program for biomanufacturing in 2021, while Apprenti has built a nationally recognized apprenticeship infrastructure that enables employers to scale workforce development programs across multiple states and industries.

Together, the organizations will work to increase employer awareness of apprenticeship as a proven workforce solution, support the expansion of life sciences apprenticeship opportunities, and help employers create sustainable talent pipelines through skills-based hiring and paid, earn-while-you-learn career pathways.

MassBioEd’s apprenticeship programs have become a cornerstone of the Massachusetts life sciences ecosystem, partnering with leading employers including Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb, AbbVie, Takeda, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Through this collaboration, employers operating in Massachusetts and beyond will benefit from the combined expertise of a leading life sciences workforce organization and a national Registered Apprenticeship intermediary.

“Apprenticeships are a vital tool for the future of the life sciences,” said Sunny Schwartz, CEO of MassBioEd. “By partnering with Apprenti, we are strengthening our collective ability to engage employers and demonstrate the value of this model. While we remain focused on the critical needs of the Massachusetts ecosystem, this collaboration helps elevate the standard for life sciences workforce development across the country.”

As demand for skilled talent continues to grow across biopharmaceutical manufacturing, laboratory operations, clinical research, and other life sciences occupations, employers face increasing pressure to develop new pathways into the industry. Registered Apprenticeship programs offer a proven solution by combining paid on-the-job training with structured technical instruction, enabling employers to develop talent aligned to their specific workforce needs while creating opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds.

The partnership leverages the complementary strengths of both organizations:

• Life Sciences Expertise: MassBioEd will continue leading employer engagement, workforce development initiatives, and specialized life sciences apprenticeship programming within Massachusetts while sharing best practices developed through the nation’s first life sciences apprenticeship model.
• National Apprenticeship Infrastructure: Apprenti will provide the administrative, compliance, and operational framework that helps employers implement and scale Registered Apprenticeship programs across multiple locations and states.
• Joint Industry Advocacy: The organizations will collaborate on outreach and education efforts to increase awareness of apprenticeship as a workforce development strategy and help employers navigate available resources, funding opportunities, and implementation pathways.

“This is the powerhouse combination the industry has been waiting for,” said Daniel Weagle, Director of Life Science Business Development at Apprenti. “MassBioEd brought the first biomanufacturing apprenticeship to life with our guidance; now, we are providing the national machinery to scale it. We are making ‘earn-while-you-learn’ the standard for the entire life science industry.”

The partnership also reflects a broader commitment to creating more inclusive pathways into life sciences careers. By emphasizing skills-based hiring and paid training opportunities, Registered Apprenticeship programs help employers reach talent pools that may be overlooked through traditional recruiting approaches while providing workers with direct pathways into family-sustaining careers.

Employer Inquiries

Employers interested in building sustainable national talent pipelines through Registered Apprenticeship are encouraged to connect with Daniel Weagle at dweagle@apprenticareers.org.

If you are an employer located in Massachusetts, please reach out to Brian Souza at brian.souza@massbioed.org.

About MassBioEd

The Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation (MassBioEd) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to building and strengthening the life sciences workforce and fostering meaningful partnerships. As the architect of pioneering apprenticeship programs in Massachusetts, MassBioEd serves as a central hub for talent development and industry engagement in the world’s leading biotech ecosystem.

About Apprenti

Apprenti is the national leader and recognized Registered Apprenticeship Intermediary. We deliver Registered Apprenticeship programs for 30+ occupations that enable your current employees and new hires across high-demand STEM industries, including technology, healthcare, human resources, advanced manufacturing, banking & finance, and the life sciences. We offer a proven path to high retention and measurable ROI.

Founded in 2016, Apprenti has trained over 6,500 apprentices and over 350 companies, and continues to scale its work. By connecting individuals without traditional postsecondary degrees to structured, earn-and-learn career pathways, Apprenti creates economic mobility for workers and sustainable talent solutions for employer

Learn more at apprenticareers.org.

About Registered Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship applies a model with centuries of precedent to modern careers: workers earn wages on day one, benefit from experienced mentors, and receive classroom instruction. Registered Apprenticeships (RA) are occupation-specific apprenticeship programs, validated by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), that result in nationally portable credentials. Apprenti is an apprenticeship intermediary, working with employers to design and deploy RA solutions that meet their workforce needs. Learn more at apprenticeship.gov. 

Media Contacts

MassBioEd Media Contact: Brian Souza — brian.souza@massbioed.org

Apprenti Media Contact: Jen Peters – pr@apprenticareers.org