Central Jersey's Bio-1 Consortium Awarded $5 Million in Federal WIRED Funds
The Bio-1 Consortium, which includes the five central New Jersey counties of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and Somerset, has received $5 million in Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) funding from the U.S. Department of Labor. The WIRED seed money will be used to transform existing bioscience education and training and economic development initiatives into a cohesive workforce-development system, in accordance with Governor Jon S. Corzine's Economic Growth Strategy.
"Central New Jersey is the birthplace of the global pharmaceutical industry and it is home to a diverse array of life science companies and some of the world's leading research universities," said Governor Corzine. "This WIRED funding will be a catalyst to create a self-sustaining, high-skill ecosystem for the life sciences industry workforce."
The goal of Bio-1 is to make central New Jersey the next "hot spot" for the global bioscience industry by creating more high-quality, high-paying jobs and an even more highly skilled workforce. The current network of partners under Bio-1 includes industry groups; individual companies; workforce investment boards; colleges and universities; research institutions; secondary education schools; and nonprofit and government organizations, including the EDA.
"This WIRED grant will help us develop the education and training initiatives we need to keep our talented workforce up to date with the changing knowledge and skill sets required for these cutting-edge jobs," said New Jersey Labor Commissioner David J. Socolow.
Bio-1 will achieve its goal through six key strategies:
- Excite young people about the biosciences, especially focusing on underrepresented groups
- Create a consortium of biotechnology educators from the high school through university levels that will facilitate smooth career pathways through articulation agreements, mentoring and professional development
- Transform graduate education with the development of professional science master's degrees that integrate business and science, and interdisciplinary Ph.D. programs in biotech areas
- Increase bioscience workforce development with education and training opportunities; enhance linkages between education and industry through internships, cooperative education and mentoring
- Facilitate globally competitive "bio businesses" by encouraging collaboration between business and education, supporting bioscience start-ups and leveraging existing global networks
In January 2007, northern New Jersey and the Delaware Valley Innovation Network were part of the 2nd Generation Wired Regions that were awarded an immediate investment of $500,000, making New Jersey the most "WIRED" state in the U.S. This investment supports the development of a comprehensive implementation plan. Upon completion and acceptance of this plan, each region will receive an additional $4.5 million investment over a three year period.
"As the number of biotechnology and life science companies moving to New Jersey continues to grow, so too does the need for highly-skilled individuals to fill positions within these companies," said Carl Van Horn, chairman of the EDA Board. "This WIRED grant will enable Bio-1 to help keep the state's workforce up to speed with the always changing demands of the industries of innovation."
For more information on Bio-1, visit their website at http://www.bio-one.org.