NEWS: Olin Awarded MassTech Advanced Manufacturing Training Program Grant
Two members of the Olin community— Jean J. Huang, associate professor of biology, and Michael Fannon, lab manager and instructor—are on a team that has been awarded a grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) to build and scale training programs to prepare non-traditional and underserved individuals for careers in biology industry.
The goal of MassTech’s Advanced Manufacturing Training Program is to spur expansion of workforce development programs in manufacturing to meet the needs of people and industry across the Commonwealth. The program will focus on supporting unemployed and underemployed individuals, including veterans, as well as underrepresented groups, including women and minorities.
In this one-year grant, Olin, in collaboration with local biotech companies SpadXTech and Anthology, will develop a Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Training Program. The six-week program in summer 2025 will be a total of 100 hours of virtual and in-person practical training at Olin’s laboratories, as well as on location with local biotech industry partners. Training will cover laboratory skills in good manufacturing practices, cell cultivation and molecular biology methods, bioreactor operation and biomanufacturing theory and practice, product assessment, and career development skills. Upon completion, students will be prepared for entry-level roles in biotechnology or biomanufacturing, such as laboratory technician or research assistant.
Participants receive a stipend to help alleviate financial concerns that might keep them from focusing fully on the training program. The program provides an opportunity for qualified individuals who might not otherwise have access to gain hands-on training and skills to enter the life sciences industry.
We are motivated to make a difference through this new partnership between academia and industry, which will expand training programs to address talent supply gaps in the state's growing life sciences sector and support underserved populations,
Individuals who participate in our workforce development program will be well positioned to join and contribute to biology industry within the Commonwealth.
Jean J. Huang
Associate Professor of Engineering
"SpadXTech is thrilled to join Olin College of Engineering with our new Biotechnology + Bioprocessing training program,” says Krystyna Traverse, research scientist at SpadXTech. “We look forward to using our biotechnology expertise to train and support the development of our local biotech workforce thanks to the generous support of MassTech Collaborative.”
The pilot year will test different models to address workforce needs and reduce unemployment in Massachusetts. It aligns with MassTech Collaborative's goals and Olin College's vision of "Engineering for Everyone."