Transcript www.massbio.org

Life Sciences
Talent Initiative
Recommendations
presented to the
Massachusetts Biotechnology
Council – Human Resource Group
January 14, 2009
Dr. J. Lynn Griesemer
Executive Director, UMass Donahue Institute
UMass President’s Office
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GROWING TALENT:
Meeting the Evolving Needs
of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Industry
Recommendations from the Life Sciences Talent Initiative
Donahue Institute
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Life Sciences Talent Initiative – Goals and Objectives
•
Analyze current and prospective trends affecting the life sciences
workforce and the capacity of higher education and workforce
development to respond
•
Describe existing life sciences education and training programs and best
practices
•
Recommend strategies to ensure that life sciences employers have the
talent they need to thrive and grow in Massachusetts
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Our Collaborative Approach Engaged Stakeholders
•
Governor announces Life Sciences Initiative. MLSC Board and Mass Biotech
Council commission UMDI to conduct workforce needs study;
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UMDI designed and conducted study as a collaborative effort among industry,
government and education/training institutions;
•
Analyzed the life sciences industry, its workforce and talent needs through use of
data, focus groups (10 groups/100 people), interviews (10 CEOs), and surveys (75
online surveys), overall reaching more than 100 Life Science Employers.
•
Reviewed the other research on life sciences super cluster and our own analysis of
sectors within the cluster (Life Sciences Collaborative; PWC; MassInsight;
Northeastern Center for Labor Market Studies, etc.);
•
Analyzed higher education and training programs and identified best practices and
models in Massachusetts and in competitor states and nations;
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Convened Life Sciences Talent Summit of nearly 300 high-level stakeholders to
engage them in reviewing findings and developing recommendations and
strategies.
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Findings
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The life sciences industry is a critically important, fast-growing cluster that
provides high-quality jobs for Massachusetts residents and generates
economic activity across the state economy
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Demand for highly qualified talent is growing, both in traditional R&D and
expanding downstream business sectors, such as clinical trails and
biomanufacturing
•
Massachusetts has many excellent higher education and workforce training
programs in life sciences fields, but they need to be better coordinated and
more responsive to the needs of industry
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Massachusetts needs to increase the pipeline of residents entering both
higher education degree programs and careers in the life sciences
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Employment in life sciences cluster is growing faster than
other sectors of the Massachusetts economy
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Demand for life sciences workers is expected to grow nearly 45% faster than for
workers in the state economy as a whole
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According to the New England Economic Partnership, total employment growth
in Massachusetts is expected to average 0.7% per year between 2006 – 2011
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Occupations in the life sciences cluster are expected to grow at a 1.3% annual
rate between 2006 and 2014
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Occupation groups with high projected growth include:
–
–
–
–
Computer and Mathematical Occupations: 22.8% growth
Legal Occupations: 20.3% growth
Life, Physical and Social Science Occupations: 16.7% growth
Architecture and Engineering Occupations: 14.5% growth
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Fastest-growing occupations reflect the highly skilled and
professional nature of the life sciences workforce
Distribution and growth projections of the top ten life sciences occupations
Occupational Group
2006 Population in
Projected Increase in Projected 8Life Sciences Sectors Demand, 2006-2014 year Growth
Medical Scientists
3672
917
25.0%
Computer Software Engineers,
Systems Software
2555
707
27.7%
Lawyers
2771
579
20.9%
Computer Systems Analysts
2017
537
26.6%
Computer Software Engineers,
Applications
Biochemists and Biophysicists
1889
520
27.5%
1454
421
28.9%
Life, Physical and Social
Science Technicians
3621
373
10.3%
Electrical Engineers
2095
278
13.3%
Accountants and Auditors
1845
264
14.3%
Management Analysts
1510
250
16.6%
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More than 80% of job growth is expected to occur in
positions that require at least a bachelor’s degree
Education and training requirements for critical life sciences occupations
Education Requirement*
Projected
Occupational
Growth 2006 - 2014
% of Total Projected
Occupational Growth
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
69
0.7%
On the Job Training
317
3.4%
Associates Degree
1355
14.4%
Bachelors Degree
4218
44.9%
Bachelors or Higher Degree, plus Work Experience
1283
13.7%
Doctoral Degree
1540
16.4%
First Professional Degree
599
6.4%
BACHELORS DEGREE OR HIGHER, TOTAL
7640
81.4%
GRAND TOTAL
9385
100.0%
Please note: Education and training requirements determined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
An occupation is placed into one of 11 categories that best describes the postsecondary education or
training needed by most workers to become fully qualified in the occupation.
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Life sciences employers are having difficulty finding staff they need
How difficult is it for your organization to hire the following types of workers?
100%
80%
60%
Very
Difficult
40%
20%
Moderately
difficult
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Employers are most satisfied with Massachusetts
graduates with advanced degrees
How well prepared are students from Massachusetts’ public and private
institutions for careers in the life sciences?
100%
80%
60%
Excellent
40%
Good
Fair or poor
20%
No opinion
0%
PhD, MD, DVM,
other
professional
Master’s
degree
Bachelor’s
degree
Associate’s
degree or
certificate
High school
graduate/GED
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Recommendations
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Produce and retain more graduate students with interdisciplinary training in the
sciences, mathematics, business, and legal and regulatory affairs
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Strengthen the interdisciplinary curriculum and experiential learning programs in
undergraduate education
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Improve and target technical training to existing and emerging employer needs
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Expand the pipeline of K-12 students motivated and prepared to enter higher
education and careers in science, technology, engineering and math fields
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Improve communication and coordination between the life sciences industry and
higher education
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Recommendation: Produce and Retain More Graduate
Students with Interdisciplinary Training
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Expand/develop/promote programs that integrate graduate education in biomedical life
sciences with training in business, management and regulatory affairs
– Professional Science Master's (PSM) degree programs (e.g. Northeastern PSM
programs in biotechnology & bioinformatics)
– Interdisciplinary degrees (e.g. Harvard-MIT Biomedical Enterprise Program MA/MBA
degree
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Develop and promote continuing graduate education programs for industry
professionals
– e.g. UMass Medical School MS in clinical investigations for health care professionals
– e.g. medical device graduate certificate programs at UMass Lowell and WPI
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Provide financial incentives for Massachusetts residents to earn graduate and
professional degrees in life sciences fields and work in Commonwealth following
graduation
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Recommendation: Strengthen the Interdisciplinary
Curriculum and Experiential Learning Programs in
Undergraduate Education
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Integrate education in biological sciences with the study of chemistry, physics,
mathematics and information science at the undergraduate level
– e.g. Harvard College Life Science Cluster and Life Sciences; UMass Amherst
Integrated Life Sciences Curriculum
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Expand opportunities for paid long-term (>3 months) practical training
experiences in industry as part of undergraduate education
– e.g. Northeastern University Cooperative Education Program
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Develop undergraduate courses that emphasize active learning, scientific
discovery, practical and applied problem-solving and working in teams
– e.g. WPI Major Qualifying Project
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Seek industry support for undergraduate education
– e.g. Genzyme-UMass Scholar Intern Program, Abbott Laboratory Instrument
Donation Program
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Recommendation: Improve and target technical training
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Conduct further research to identify the specific knowledge, attributes and skills
required for entry-level life science positions in Massachusetts
– e.g. North Carolina study, The Model Employee: Preparation for Careers in the
Biopharmaceutical Industry.
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Develop partnerships between industry and educational institutions to design and
improve programs below the four-year degree level that prepare students for careers
with current and projected future demand
– e.g. Medical Laboratory Technician Program, Boston teaching hospitals, Bunker
Hill Community College and Boston Private Industry Council
– e.g. Biotechnology Associate’s Degree Program, Middlesex Community College
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Identify transferable knowledge and skill sets from other industries relevant to life
sciences occupations and provide educational opportunities and financial support for
targeted re-training programs for skilled workers
– e.g. WPI biomanufacturing fundamentals course developed for Polaroid workers
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Recommendation: Further Develop and Expand the K-12
STEM Pipeline
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Conduct public outreach to promote the variety of exciting, challenging, rewarding
and financially attractive careers available in the Massachusetts life sciences
industry
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Target K-12 outreach and education programs to increase the number of female,
African-American and Latino students entering higher education in STEM fields
– e.g. Worcester Pipeline Collaborative (Abbott Bioresearch Center,
Assumption College . Quinsigamond Community College, Science Club at
Plumley Village, UMass Medical School, UMass Memorial Health Care, Inc.,
Worcester Public Schools)
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Recommendation: Improve Communication and Coordination
Between Industry and Higher Education
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The Commonwealth must strive for the same excellence in producing scientific and
professional talent across the education and training system as it has achieved
within individual colleges and universities
– e.g. statewide coordination across higher education institutions in CA; statewide
connections between life sciences employers and academic institutions in NC
•
Recommendations of Governor’s Readiness Project can guide efforts to develop
closer relationships between educational institutions and employers
– better integration of primary, secondary, and higher education curricula
– improvement in public higher education coordination
– creation of a Business/Education Taskforce to develop consensus on the
education/training needed for college and the 21st century workplace
– expand partnerships with industry to provide internships and other school-to-career
opportunities for students
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New Massachusetts BioMedical Education and Workforce Development Consortium
(Mass BioEd Foundation, Mass Biotech Council and MassMEDIC) is prepared to
provide industry leadership and coordination
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Thank You.
DISCUSSION
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