In Rhode Island, the Biotech Boot Camp gives locals the experience they need in labs, aseptic practices, and industry familiarization to become suited to working in biotech and pharmaceuticals.

The University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy has debuted a third annual Biotech Boot Camp, which will provide training with the aim of equipping residents with the skills needed to work in the biotech industry.

Organized by the Pharmaceutical Development Institute (PDI) in conjunction with RI Bio and the state Department of Labor and Training, the two-week course accepted 20 participants at Avedisian Hall on the Kingston campus this past August.

The training includes aseptic technique, clean-room putting on and taking off, document control, biopharmaceutical manufacturing, quality control systems, and lab compliance audits. The participants also acquire soft skills such as writing a resume, training in interviewing techniques, and networking among the BioTech companies in the region.

PDI Interim Director Jennifer Lewis noted the program prepares trainees with practical lab skills and foundational knowledge needed to work at entry level in BioTech and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The facilities of the institute are state-of-the-art, having a cleanroom of 7,000 square feet, specialist testing laboratories, and specific training areas.

Mary-Jane Kanaszet, the director of the Office of Healthcare Workforce Development, stated the initiative balances workforce shortage and matching education with industry need. Future job fairs will have participants meet with companies like East Side Clinical Laboratory, Brown Urology and Denison Pharmaceuticals.

Through better job preparedness, the Biotech Boot Camp can enhance the workforce capability of the state in terms of heightened innovativeness and ability to adapt to the emerging challenges in the healthcare and life sciences sectors.