Final Report: Northern Virginia Community College Training for Biotechnology Workers
The intent of this project was to expand Northern Virginia Community College's capability to offer training to support the Biotechnology Industry in the northern Virginia region. The general goal of this project was to create a College Biotechnology Program; specific goals of the project were to a) design curricula/courses to prepare students to become entry-level lab technicians, b) redesign and equip lab space to better suit the needs of the program, c) develop partnerships with the local industry through outreach and the formation on an advisory board, d) recruit students into the program, and e) provide instructional support for local high school teachers. At the end of the grant period, NOVA has successfully created two new curricula in biotechnology: an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Biotechnology (initiated in Fall 2008) and a Career Studies Certificate for Biotechnology Lab Technicians (to be initiated in Fall 2010). These curricula were designed with advice from an external advisory committee which is comprised of representatives from industry, transfer institutions and high school administrators. To date, almost all courses have been designed and piloted; the equipment needed for the courses and the initial supplies were paid for by the grant as was the re-modeling of some lab space to be used for the biotech courses. In order to market the program, the NOVA Biotech Program has also established relationships with the local high schools. Presentations were given at several local high schools and on-site workshops were held for high school students and teachers. As a result, close to 1000 students have attended program open houses, presentations within the high schools, or workshops held in the summer. Over 100 teachers have received information and/or training in biotechnology. These outreach efforts as well as high quality curricula have started to attract a number of students to the program – for example, there are currently 70 students enrolled in the A.A.S. program. The first students in the biotech program are expected to graduate in Spring 2011; already, students enrolled in the biotech program/courses have obtained jobs or internships in several local companies. Our current goal continues to be to foster the formation of a regional biotech education pipeline into the local industry which includes the recruitment of individuals into the NOVA Biotech Program, the training and graduation of highly-skilled lab technicians, and the placement of graduates in local biotech industry jobs.
- Research Organization:
- Northern Virginia Community College
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science and Technology (EM-50)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-06ER64264
- OSTI ID:
- 979930
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/06ER64264-1; 81.049
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Hampshire College Center for Science Education. Final Report on Activities Supported by the Department of Energy Grant No. DE-FG02-06ER64256
Microtech: Microscopy technician training program