The new Passaic County Technical Institute John Currie Biotechnology Innovation Center opened this academic year. – Photo provided by PCTVS Communications Department
As the “medicine chest of the world,” New Jersey has a rich life sciences community with pharmaceutical, research, medical technology and other industries all finding homes in the state. “They are here for the skilled workforce,” Chrissy Buteas, president and chief executive officer of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey, said. “So, a real focus for us is supporting that skilled workforce.”
Buteas addressed school leaders from New Jersey’s 21 county vocational-technical schools over the summer, sharing current and emerging job opportunities in health care throughout the state and the need to continue offering programs that encourage and train students for such opportunities.
Buteas commended the vocational-technical schools for broadening program offerings in health sciences to prepare students for a range of careers and next steps. She added that the expansion of biotechnology programs specifically addresses many of the sought-after skills in health sciences. In fact, an analysis by the New Jersey Department of Labor over the summer showed biotechnology among the top five specialized skills required for health sciences job postings.
With such demand, the timing was ideal for the September opening of the Passaic County Technical Institute’s John Currie Biotechnology Innovation Center. Made possible with funding from the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act, the state-of-the-art 55,000-square-foot facility increases capacity in the career program for hundreds of additional students from grades 9-12. Inside are highly specialized learning spaces, including New Jersey’s first DNA Learning Center.
The DNA Learning Center is equipped, licensed and operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and supported by InnovATEBIO, a global leader in biomedical research and education. Such industry involvement makes it possible for students to gain hands-on experience in a rapidly advancing sector of biotechnology. (See video here.)
Michael Petruccelli, supervisor of the PCTI Biotechnology Program, said both Cold Spring Harbor and Passaic County Community College played roles in developing a curriculum to prepare students for a wide range of career opportunities, such as lab technicians, researchers, biophysicists, geneticists and more. Depending on the students’ ambitions, they also can earn an associate degree and industry valued credentials as part of their high school learning experience.
Chrissy Buteas, president and chief executive officer of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey
Buteas said relationships between industry and academia are so important for workforce development that they have become the focus of a new Life Sciences Industry Partnerships initiative led by the New Jersey Department of Labor. “It’s important to create partnerships that help students realize the career paths available in the life sciences and support them in pursuing those paths,” she added.
While the Department of Labor is moving this initiative forward on a state-wide level, the county vocational-technical schools have long incorporated industry partnerships into their educational models. Schools build dedicated Advisory Boards for their career programs, whose members review curriculum, serve as guest speakers and even open their doors for student visits. Most schools also designate individuals or full departments to place students in work-based learning and positions with help from their industry connections.
“Our School-to-Careers Department makes us unique in that we have an entire group of employees dedicated to placing students in industry before or after graduation,” Petruccelli said.
At Biotechnology High School (BTHS), part of Monmouth County Vocational School District, Principal Sharon Bryant, Ed.D., said partnerships are critical for students’ culminating learning experiences. “All seniors participate in a mentorship capstone experience before graduation, and our numerous partners support our students in applying their skills and knowledge in a workplace.” She added that the high school’s alumni and Advisory Board members, as well as area companies like Team Life, Inc. and Sunrise Senior Living, hospital systems and municipality EMT programs, all work closely with BTHS to secure mentors for students. (See video here.)
“The local experiences during mentorship also introduce our students to the relevance and local contribution of nearby companies and facilities in enhancing this field,” Bryant said. She and the BTHS instructors emphasized that their collective goal is to “immerse our students in community engagement and retention within the biotechnology field, while promoting international skills and communication through the International Baccalaureate curricula to grow biotechnology from a global perspective.”
Biotechnology High School in Freehold, part of Monmouth County Vocational School District, was ranked fifth best high school in the state and the 37th best public high school in America by U.S. News & World Report.
BTHS’ approach has earned the high school impressive results. U.S. News & World Report ranked it the fifth best high school in the state and the 37th best public high school in America.
BTHS instructors recently polled a small group of students about their motivations to enter such a highly focused, rigorous program. The students: Nicholas French, Alay Galvankar, Emily Gerchak, Annika Raj, Ella Stastney and Kaanchi Utpat said they believe the future is wide open in the field and that new pathways will open that “don’t yet exist or that we don’t even know we need yet.” They also said that working in the biotechnology field will allow them to “make an impact for many people, whether directly in the sciences or changing policy.”
This is the exact sentiment Buteas hopes to instill in bright, ambitious young people as they consider a future in the health sciences. During a recent speaking engagement with the Department of Labor, she addressed student attendees, saying, “This industry is really special; you have the opportunity to either greatly improve or save someone’s life by working in this industry.”
Conversation Starters
Reach Passaic County Technical Institute at pcti.pctvs.org/pcti or call 973-790-6000.
Reach Biotechnology High School at bths.mcvsd.org or call 732-431-7208.
If you’re an industry professional looking to support life sciences programs, including those in biotechnology go to careertechnj.org/become-an-employer-partner.
This series on education and industry is presented by the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools. This column originally appeared Nov. 27, 2024 in ROI-NJ.
