This project is forming a consortium of community college programs and their industry partners focusing on biotechnology in the Midwest region. An initial planning meeting was held in September 2009 to assess the need for and interest in such a consortium. That meeting indicated there was a need for such a consortium in the Midwest. Some of the goals that came from that meeting include the desire to hold workshops and business meetings, the desire to look at how best to partner with industry and high schools, the need for clear career paths in bioscience for the diverse Midwest region, and the need for a location for students to present their work. The project is developing additional partnerships with other colleges and their industrial partners, as well as state and local life sciences groups. In addition, the goals and objectives of a Midwest region consortium are being solidified.
INTELLECTUAL MERIT The main intellectual merit of this project is the opportunity to share knowledge that will come from a planned Midwest Region Consortium. In the Midwest, there are a diversity of program specialties, from biomanufacturing and lab skill programs to medical device and bioprocessing programs. With the development of regional partnerships comes the enhanced opportunity to share instructional materials, teaching skills and learning opportunities among the partners.
BROADER IMPACTS There are two main outcomes of this grant: best practices for partnerships between educational institutions and industry partners, as well as a solidified plan for a Midwest Region consortium of biotechnology related community college educators together with their high school and industry partners. Partnerships such as these allow industry to influence the education of their future workforce, thereby having better-educated new employees. Educators are better able to meet the needs of their communities through strong partnerships with local industry. In addition, high school students and teachers may not be fully aware of the positions available, so that students may not be prepared for jobs in this growing industry. A center can address all of these needs.
This planning grant was obtained with the primary intention of organizing and planning a consortium of Midwest bioscience community college educators for the purpose of enhancing bioscience education in the Midwest. The main goal as outlined in the proposal for the planning grant was to develop a grant proposal that would financially support the goals and activities of this consortium during its start-up. Relationships among Midwest bioscience community college educators were forged and solidified and a proposal to support a consortium was submitted. Additionally, funds were used to provide professional development for Midwest educators, one of the goals outlined by the consortium. INTELLECTUAL MERIT The main intellectual merit of this grant was the opportunity to share knowledge amongst Midwest community college bioscience educators. In the Midwest, we have a high diversity of bioscience program specialties, from biomanufacturing and lab skill programs to medical device and bioprocessing programs. With the development of regional partnerships comes the enhanced opportunity to share instructional materials, teaching skills and learning opportunities amongst the partners. This enhances the education received by students. BROADER IMPACTS There were two main outcomes of this grant: sharing amongst educators about how best to forge partnerships with local industry partners, as well as a solidified plan for a Midwest regional consortium of bioscience related community college educators together with their high school and industry partners. Learning to better partner with local industry can have a broad impact by improving these sorts of partnerships not just in the Midwest region but in other regions as well. Partnerships such as these allow industry to have a say in the education of their future workforce, thereby having better, potentially custom trained new hires. For the educators, they are better able to meet the needs of their communities through strong partnerships with local industry. There are also broad impacts from having a planned Midwest Consortium. In many areas of the Midwest and beyond, unemployment rates are high. The biosciences industry, however, is growing faster than many other sectors of industry. In many cases, individuals needing jobs are not aware of what jobs are available in the bioscience industry. In addition, high school students and teachers may not be fully aware of the positions available, so students may not be steered to jobs in this growing industry. One of the proposed goals for the Midwest Consortium is a career pathway that would help bridge the knowledge gap pertaining to bioscience employment. This will impact industry (more potential employees), educational institutions (more students), communities (higher employment rates) and individuals who may become motivated to get into the bioscience industry.
