Boston, Massachusetts (3/25/2022) – BioConnects New England (BCNE) and the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (OWD) are excited to announce a partnership to create a robust biomanufacturing industry cluster in the New England region.
With this partnership, BioConnects New England and the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development aim to promote the growth and sustainability of the life sciences industry in New England by fostering economic development and planning collaboration. Additionally, BCNE and the OWD agree to undertake ongoing outreach and engagement with city residents, facilitate and convene local meetings with stakeholders (including educators, civic leaders, and industry partners) across the city of Boston, and assist in joint economic planning activities to identify biomanufacturing workforce development opportunities within the city through data collection and spatial and economic analyses.
“As BioConnects New England works to support existing and establish new biomanufacturing infrastructure, our partnership with the Office of Workforce Development will go a long way toward creating pathways to increased employment,” said Jared Auclair, Ph.D., an associate dean at Northeastern University and director of their Biopharmaceutical Analysis Training Lab and co-lead of BioConnects New England.
“We look forward to working with BioConnects New England on this exciting initiative to expand workforce development around biomanufacturing,” said Trinh Nguyen, director of the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development. “This will have a great impact on residents of Boston; we’re very proud to be a part of this important initiative.”
“This partnership is an important step toward ensuring that the future economy includes opportunities for every Bostonian,” added Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. “I applaud the Office of Workforce Development and BioConnects for placing an intentional emphasis on community outreach and engagement, which is integral to expanding workforce development opportunities in an equitable and just manner.”
Through its grant challenge sponsored by the Economic Development Administration, BioConnects New England is leveraging its resources in the region to create a robust biomanufacturing industry. Massachusetts-based Northeastern University leads the coalition, which includes The Biopharmaceutical Analysis Training Laboratory at Northeastern University, The Roux Institute at Northeastern University in Portland, Maine, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, -the I-195 Design & Innovation District in Providence, Rhode Island, the University of Rhode Island, and FocusMaine. The coalition will lead K-12 education and engagement activities, -jumpstart prototyping and incubation facilities throughout the region, and invest in accessible start-up entrepreneurship programming.
ABOUT BIOCONNECTS NEW ENGLAND
BioConnects New England is a multi-state coalition and finalist of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge—a $1 billion program sponsored by the Economic Development Administration. Through this initiative, BioConnects New England will create a biomanufacturing cluster in the region of Massachusetts, Maine, and Rhode Island that have been historically excluded from the biotechnology industry, one of the fastest-growing sectors in New England with national importance. This coalition will connect hubs throughout New England to support existing—and establish new—biomanufacturing infrastructure as a pathway to increase employment and educational opportunities for underserved regions and populations.
ABOUT THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (OWD)
The Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (OWD) is an innovative agency within the Boston Planning & Development Agency that seeks to ensure the full participation of all Boston residents in the city’s economic vitality and future. OWD funds and oversees programs that promote workforce development through education, jobs training, apprenticeships, financial coaching, career pathways, literacy initiatives, and the like. Learn more at owd.boston.gov.
