Help wanted: Skilled bioscience graduates in high demand

Jun. 10, 2011  |  By: Keith Gary  |  Category: Biosciences, Economic Development, KC Animal Health Corridor, Uncategorized, Workforce Development
Tags: bioscience talent, closing the skills gap, educational continuum, teacher externships

Keith Gary, director of program development at the Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute, Inc., shares recent data that supports a growing demand for skilled bioscience talent. How can we plan for the future and ensure that our region will continue to compete?

The region’s 200+ biosciences companies (including the animal health and nutrition sub-sector) are an integral part of the “knowledge economy,” helping us compete in the global marketplace. These companies employ approximately 25,000 workers and are highly dependent on people who:

• Are well-trained in the areas of science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics
• Possess good communication skills and are capable of working in multidisciplinary teams
• Possess good technical skills that can be refined or expanded as needed
• Recognize the importance of lifelong learning

There is good evidence that the KC region’s bioscience workforce needs are currently being met according to data in the recent 2009 Kansas City Regional Life Sciences Industry Census. Those biosciences companies surveyed reported they rarely recruit from outside the region (74% of companies) and indicated an average vacancy rate (i.e., length of time a position remains unfilled) as less than 60 days (86% of companies).  Both of these indicators suggest an adequate supply of skilled workers is available for the bioscience industry.

Other data in the study, however, suggest problems may be looming on the horizon. Four companies indicated they plan to hire more than 100 employees in the next three years, and 15 companies plan to hire 25-100 employees in the same time frame. That causes one to wonder if the current educational infrastructure can meet this increased demand. Moreover, many bioscience companies are conducting in-house training for their new employees lasting three to nine months, suggesting a possible mismatch of skill sets possessed by the worker and those needed by the employer. What steps can we take to meet this challenge?

Educational Continuum

The Kansas City region is fortunate to have a functional biosciences workforce continuum resulting from numerous articulation agreements between educational providers. Students interested in biotechnology careers can earn college credit from community colleges while still in high school. Similarly, the graduates of associate degree biotechnology programs have a number of options to continue working toward their bachelor degree at area colleges and universities. In many cases, generous tuition reimbursement programs within the bioscience industry provide the funds for employees to further their education.

The ability to access this educational continuum at multiple points expands the capacity of the educational system and allows it to respond to employment growth and changing demands in the biosciences industry.

Closing the Skills Gap

To ensure that biosciences program graduates possess the skills needed in biosciences companies, educational providers are frequently engaging industry in program development and/or an evaluation of their existing programs. These collaborations are taking place at all educational levels because educators rarely have firsthand industry experience, and the direct interaction with industry better informs curriculum design and the skills required for workplace success. Often these collaborations lead to additional benefits, such as student experiences within a company or the presence of industry experts in the classroom.

Ensuring an adequate pool of well-trained bioscience workers is not the sole responsibility of educational providers. Regional biosciences companies also have an important role to play. Students learn significant theoretical concepts and practical skills in the classroom, yet without practical application of this knowledge, the significance is often lost for many students. Bioscience companies can provide opportunities for practical application skills via internships and job shadowing opportunities for students. Companies benefit by getting a first look at these students and can assess their “fit” as potential future employees. It is important to manage student expectations as not every internship experience leads to employment. There are few better ways for a company to directly evaluate talent than through exposure to interns.

Teacher Externships

Offering summer teacher externships is another way that biosciences companies can impact the quality of the workforce. Teachers working directly with company scientists often incorporate their experiences into the classroom. Equally important, teachers become energized by seeing the direct application of the concepts they teach. In many ways, providing teacher externships has a “bigger bang for the buck” due to the multiplier effect of one teacher educating many students.

Bottom line – the bioscience industry will require constant attention to ensure an adequate pool of workers with the necessary skills to support the industry. The ongoing collaboration between education providers and industry representatives in developing bioscience programs and providing increased opportunities for students to gain practical experience should position the region well to support the growing biosciences sector.