Next Economy: Workforce Development Recommendations for the Life Sciences Cluster February 2014 Prepared by: Jodi Mulligan, Kristine Mazzei, Suzanne Mayes

Contents Introduction ...... 1 Sponsors and Staffing ...... 2 Life Sciences Cluster Assessment Goals and Process ...... 2 Life Sciences Cluster Interview Participants ...... 3 Life Sciences Interview Questions ...... 4 Interview Outcomes ...... 5 Next Steps: Life Sciences Cluster Workforce Development Recommendations ...... 14

Introduction

Since 1994, Valley Vision (www.valleyvision.org) has strengthened communities through research, collaboration and leadership. We are a nonprofit consultancy focused on economic, environmental and social issues. Our vision is a prosperous and sustainable region for all generations. Valley Vision is one of the lead organizations for Next Economy, an initiative designed to accelerate job creation and new investment across key areas in the region, strengthen our economic base and sharpen our competitive edge in the global marketplace. Next Economy lays out 5 goals: (1) foster a strong environment; (2) grow international trade and export activity; (3) diversify our economy through growth and support of core business clusters; (4) grow and maintain a world-class talent base; and (5) improve the regional business climate for economic growth.

As a foundational Next Economy implementation activity, Valley Vision interviewed company leaders in the region’s core business clusters to gather information about opportunities for growth within the region, how well we are meeting our companies’ needs for skilled employees and other areas where our network of partners could lend support. The core business clusters include Advanced Manufacturing, Agriculture and Food, Clean Energy Technology, Information & Communications Technology, Life Sciences and Health Services. Education & Knowledge Creation was not included in this assessment.

The following report shares information about the Life Sciences cluster assessment and key findings from interviews with company leaders. The Life Sciences industry cluster, oftentimes called Biotechnology, includes industries that involve the application of biological scientific knowledge to develop technologies and products. The cluster has shown strong growth in part

1 because it serves a diverse set of human needs, spanning medicine, agriculture, industry and technology1.

Sponsors and Staffing

The Sacramento Employment and Training Agency/Sacramento Works funded the Next Economy core business cluster workforce assessment project. The Center for Strategic Economic Research and members of the SETA Board provided invaluable strategic guidance during the initial planning phase. Valley Vision staff members Jodi Mulligan, Kristine Mazzei and Suzanne Mayes planned and facilitated the cluster outreach strategy.

Life Sciences Cluster Assessment Goals and Process

As one of Next Economy’s lead organizations, Valley Vision is committed to ensuring that implementation activities for each of the core business clusters are aligned with regional needs. For each core business cluster, Valley Vision engaged industry leaders and key stakeholders to assess:

• Trends, challenges and anticipated workforce needs • Foundational skills needed for key occupations and those that can be layered or gained through retraining • Where successful candidates are coming from: local talent vs. outside of the area • Gaps and opportunities related to workforce development • Other activities that could stimulate the business climate and encourage company growth

Selecting Target Companies To ensure broad representation, Valley Vision collected company lists from the Sacramento Regional Technology Alliance (SARTA), the Center for Strategic Economic Research (CSER) and other resources to select a mix of companies that represent the overall cluster. Data gathered through the Next Economy cluster diagnosis helped identify areas of the cluster that account for large numbers of employees and those that represent current and emerging growth opportunities. The target list was designed to achieve balance between company size, geographic location and specific business activities.

Gathering Company Input Valley Vision staff conducted one-on-one and group interviews with small, medium and large companies to understand their current and emerging workforce needs. To the extent possible, company interviews included Chief Executive Officers, Presidents, Vice Presidents and Directors.

1 Cluster definition taken from the “Sector Profile: Biotechnology” prepared by Economic and Workforce Development of the Community Colleges. This work is part of the “Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy” program. Web. 7 February 2014.

2 Life Sciences Cluster Interview Participants

We would like to thank the company leaders who took the time from their busy schedules to participate in this cluster assessment and share their thoughts about the region’s Life Sciences workforce needs. As is typical for this industry cluster, these companies span a vast array of disciplines ranging from a focus on stem cell production for health care research to the development of bio-based agricultural chemicals.

Company Interview Participant Aaken Laboratories, Inc. Michael Russell, CEO Accelerated Medical Diagnostics Paul Henderson, President & CEO Antibodies, Inc. Rick Krogsrud, President & CEO Marcus Grindstaff, Director of Strategic Planning and Product Care Management Eyefinity Steve Baker, President HealthLinkNow Barb Johnston, CEO LifeMed ID Georgene Watermen, CEO Mytrus, Inc. Anthony Costello, CEO Novozymes Debbie Yaver, Director Optimal Tracers Ruth Tesar, CEO Donald Williamson, Vice President, Microbiology & Molecular Operations Greg Yardley, Director of Technical Support Siemens Sharon Shinn, Director of Development Assay Stem Express Cate Dyer, CEO Thermogenesis Matt Plavan, CEO

3 Life Sciences Interview Questions

Each interview was guided by a general set of questions, which is included below. Valley Vision staff facilitated the conversations to ensure information related to workforce opportunities and challenges that could be used to inform regionally focused strategic planning activities was collected. Interviews lasted approximately 45 minutes and were conducted both in person and over the phone.

Life Sciences Cluster Interview Questions:

1. What are the most common positions you are currently seeking to fill or have filled recently? a. What kinds of degrees or certifications are associated with these jobs?

2. What skill sets and knowledge are currently in greatest demand? Do you anticipate this to change in the next 18 months?

3. What balance are employers looking for in terms of education and training, and work experience? a. What counts more? For which positions?

4. What skills and/or experience levels are really difficult to find?

5. How ready are the people you hired to do the job? What other training or support did you need to provide?

6. Who or what are you competing with to hire top candidates? a. For example: other companies in or out of the region, a larger or smaller company, things related to quality of life (housing, civic amenities)

7. What economic or workforce development related activities would support the expansion of the regional market for your company’s products and services?

8. Would you be interested in participating in a working session to help develop an action plan to address the needs we uncover during this process?

4 Interview Outcomes

The following summary provides an overview of key discussion outcomes, grouped into bulleted lists for each topic area. Feedback gathered during the interviews includes: information about the current number of employees and expectations on future hiring needs, recently filled or vacant positions, skills and knowledge that are currently in demand, emerging workforce needs, and areas where companies are having difficulty finding qualified candidates. Participants also provided feedback about specific actions the region could undertake to increase its talent pool for Life Sciences-related jobs and forge stronger connections between education and training providers and industry.

• The companies interviewed ranged in size from three to 188 employees. Most projected small to moderate growth in the next one-to-two years while some expected to double or triple in size from 2014-2016. The smaller start-up companies were reluctant to make projections, as their future is dependent on regulatory changes and market growth.

The table below provides a summary of vacant positions and those that were filled in the past six months. Information about desired skills and experience was aggregated to provide a summary of desired qualifications for each position. The industry cluster spans a diverse set of activity areas, a characteristic that is reflected in variety of growing job types as well. It should be noted that specific requirements will vary at the individual company level.

Position Desired Skills & Knowledge IT Systems Engineer - Cloud • 10+ years of related experience (4+ with Bachelor’s Degree, 2+ with Master’s Degree) • Prefer a candidate to be familiar with and have abilities that map to the NIST Systems Engineering standards or similar experience with ISO900X standards • Demonstrable expert-level skills and knowledge in scalable n-tier enterprise architecture, high-volume data processing environments, and sophisticated hosting solutions (Certifications preferred) • Skills strongly desired include: OS (Windows, Linux, OS-X); Microsoft Solutions (SQL Server, Clustering, Network Load Balancing, etc.); Cloud Infrastructure deployment; management and database administration using an orchestration layer toolset (RightScale, Amazon EC2) Application integration methods • Networking (SSL VPN, STS VPN, VLAN’s, Wireless), VMware vCenter/ ESX4 and 5, Security (Cisco, ASA, F5, Networks), Systems Management (SCCM,SCOM, PRTG), Platforms (Server, Client and Small Form Factor) • Hardware and software lifecycle • Project Management tools & processes, Health Care experience and Information Security experience desired

5 Position Desired Skills & Knowledge Biostatiticians • Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in mathematics, statistics or a closely related field, a Master’s or a PhD in biostatistics or a closely related field • Excellent communication skills • Able to work alone and in a team setting • Able to use specialized computer software to organize and analyze data • An aptitude for and interest in mathematics • An interest in the application of scientific principles to the solution of practical problems • Able to organize projects and carry them out • Able to write clear, concise reports in language appropriate for the intended audience

Regulatory Affairs • Bachelor’s in a scientific or technical discipline or equivalent Specialists/Managers experience required. Equivalent experience is defined as minimum 4 years of regulatory affairs experience and a BS degree, or 2 years of regulatory affairs experience and a MS degree (experience should be in the medical devices industry) • Provide guidance to regulatory affairs colleagues in coordinating the preparation of regulatory submissions and reviewing technical documents

Business Development • BSc or MSc in Cell Biology, Biological Sciences, Immunology, Molecular Biology or a related field • Knowledge of SAP, Oracle Suite, SalesForce, Microsoft CRM, Amdocs • General business knowledge and systems analysis skills • Excellent customer service and communication skills

Care Navigators • Registered Nurse, Bachelor’s Degree • Experience interacting with physicians • Knowledge regarding legal medical documentation practices required • Computer knowledge including Word and Excel programs (PC based computers) • Demonstrated organizational, facilitation, communication and presentation skills • Critical thinking skills are necessary • Must be able to analyze many variables and choose the most effective course of action at any given point in time • Must manage diverse work problems on a daily basis • Ability to identify problems and develop solutions

6 Position Desired Skills & Knowledge Clinical Application Specialist • Nursing degree and 5 years of direct Telehealth/Remote Patient Monitoring vendor experience • Excellent interpersonal, organizational, writing and presentation skills – in both internal and external (customer) facing settings • Experience working within a regulated medical products environment • Experience in a business selling healthcare technology with preference for home health or home safety technology

Regulatory and Quality Compliance • Bachelor’s in a scientific discipline required Officers • 7-10 years experience in the medical device or pharmaceutical industry • Strong analytical skills, exceptional writing and interpersonal relationship skills or a combination of relevant work experience and education • Demonstrated knowledge of FDA regulations, ISO 13485:2003, CMDR, Medical Device Directive Regulation (93/42EEC) and other national and international regulations and standards • Experience with direct contact with FDA and ISO Notified Bodies • Knowledge of process design and implementation, change control, auditing, and document management systems • General knowledge of statistical analysis • Demonstrated organizational, management and communication skills

Quality Control Analysts/ Quality • Bachelor’s degree in health administration or business Control Systems Management • Demonstrated ability to communicate well written and orally • Experience in sensory evaluation recommended • Experience working in a laboratory • Familiar with microscopes, moisture ovens, NIR equipment, HPLC, and microbiological techniques • Perform analysis as written in manuals or method books

Fermentation Scientist • Bachelor's degree in food science, microbiology or related field • Understanding of chemistry and biology, critical thinking, communication, problem solving, ability to use laboratory equipment • Applies engineering concepts (such as mass and heat transfer, fluid dynamics) to scale up and scale down bacterial fermentation processes • Models fermentation processes • Authors, follows and completes detailed experimental protocols • Independently performs laboratory experiments using good laboratory and documentation practices

7 Position Desired Skills & Knowledge Programmers/ Code programmers • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, or a related field • Programming skills in technologies used • Understanding of database concepts • Solid written and verbal skills • Knowledge of the systems development life cycle and technology infrastructure • Verbal communication skills (for working with BAs) • Analytical / Advanced Programming Skills • Ability to translate written FS/FDS into working functionality (Process instructions) • MES Software Functional Knowledge; preferably XFP (Development/Configuration, Inventory Management, Equipment Management, Formula Management, etc.). Technical Knowledge (Scripting/PCS Interfacing)

Chemist • Bachelor’s degree in chemistry or related science • Excellent communication skills both oral and especially written • Knowledge of cGMPs, and FDA regulations associated with discipline • HPLC, GC, and GC/MS knowledge, experience in IR, NMR, LC/MS, UV

Animal Technicians • Bachelor's degree in veterinary technology • Typically one must take the Veterinary Technician National Examination which is administered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) • Must have good communication skills and the ability to work well with others • Must also be well-organized and able to pay attention to detail • Performs medical tests on animals, including drawing blood and preparing tissue samples, take and develop x-rays.

Medical/Clinical Laboratory • Bachelor's degree in medical technology, microbiology or clinical Technicians laboratory studies, and one year of clinical experience • Detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. • Must be licensed in CA by the Department of Health Services. • Ability to use automated equipment and instruments, as well as microscopes, cell counters, and other sophisticated laboratory equipment and analyze the results and relay them to physicians.

Clinical Researcher, Clinical Research • Bachelors’ degree, CCRC certification Coordinators • Able to work independently and collaborate with a team • Must have experience conducting quality control audits and data analysis/entry • Computer skills related to data management required (including MS Office) • Knowledge of medical terminology as well as the ability to read identify and extract pertinent data from medical records • Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and independently • Excellent skills in English (both verbal and written) required

8 Position Desired Skills & Knowledge Software Development/Support • Bachelor’s Degree in IT, Engineering or related field and 3 years of experience in a related role • Prior experience in virtual infrastructure management (e.g. WMware, Citrix) • Good knowledge of backup and disaster recovery processes • Experience in server installation and configuration • Experience in installation, configuration and maintenance (including DB/tuning, PL/SQL issues, debug), database upgrade (Oracle database will be the preferred database) and other software • Good knowledge of tuning software, development and administration of databases (SQL Developer, PL/SQL Developer, Toad, Oracle Enterprise Manager, etc) • Basic knowledge of Computer System Validation processes

Microbiologist/ Molecular Biologist / • Possession of a valid Public Health Microbiologist Certificate issued Macrobiologist by the California State Department of Health • Willingness to work with infectious materials • Principles, techniques, equipment and terminology used in a laboratory for making bacteriological, serological, mycological, virological, parasitological and chemical tests

Procurement Technicians • Strong knowledge of human anatomy and the ability to demonstrate such knowledge • Phlebotomy certification and extensive experience drawing blood • Knowledge and application of sterile and aseptic techniques • Strong written and oral communication skills, familiarity with widely used software such as Microsoft Word, PDFs and web applications

Office/Admin Staff • Knowledge of SAP, Oracle Suite, SalesForce, Microsoft CRM, Amdocs • General business knowledge and systems analysis skills • Excellent customer service and communication skills • Associate’s or Bachelor’s in Computer Science or Business

Inspectors/Testers/Sorters • For the workers who perform basic tests and rate the product as pass/ fail a high school diploma is enough for such jobs • Training is provided by the employers that include gauges, special meters, computers, quality control methods, blueprint reading, and other related techniques • Excellent interpersonal and written skills. Exceptionally creative, analytical and logical skills • Good organizational and time management skills. Outstanding observation skills, and good coordination between hands and eyes

• While most of the positions listed above have an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree as the foundation, many of the interviewees expressed the need for PhD level expertise in the science and lab-based positions as well as the business administration and/or oversight positions. A Master’s degree was mentioned rarely but did draw more attention than a

9 Bachelor’s with little to no professional experience. A Bachelor’s degree coupled with professional experience and certifications in Apple OS X, PHP and/or Microsoft, for example, was highly sought after.

• The need for degrees, training and certifications across disciplines was apparent in most interviews. A good example of this was the use of the term Care Navigators. Care Navigators exhibit strong communication and computer skills and also are able to easily navigate the health information technology space with compassion and professionalism. The ideal candidate for this position differed dependent upon the company being interviewed. Some were willing to train a new employee with a high school diploma or Associate’s Degree, while others had the expectation that prime candidates came in with a baseline Bachelor’s degree and at least one year of professional experience and/or a technical certification.

• It is further necessary to note that this particular workforce cluster operates within the confines of strict regulatory policy. Therefore, quality assurance and control positions as well as regulatory affairs and compliance positions were expressed as needed and steadily growing. These positions most often called for a Bachelor’s degree or higher with extensive professional experience. Having some experience with or current knowledge of regulatory affairs was often mentioned as desirable but not mandatory.

• There were several common denominators mentioned across interviews with regards to skill sets and knowledge that are in greatest demand and what balance employers are seeking in terms of education, training and work experience. The need for analytical skills was common while the ability to be innovative, be creative, exhibit curiosity and to think outside the box were mentioned as often or in conjunction with each other. Employers were looking for motivated employees with a strong work ethic, team skills, strong written and oral communication skills and the ability to perform on an often steep learning curve. Work experience along with education was most favored.

• When discussing senior talent pools of programmers or developers, experience was necessary to compete with other candidates. With regards to lower level positions in administrative and customer service positions, the need for a baseline Associate’s Degree with strong foundational skills was highly sought after with the idea that an employer could train employees in these positions for a future in project management.

• While there are several common factors in what each employer was looking for, there were also some well-defined differences across the life sciences discipline. Some employers were specifically looking for laboratory experience in the areas of human cell isolation and tissue cultures whereas others were specifically interested in highly skilled technical staff with experience in web and mobile applications. Some employers were specifically looking for candidates with a background in chemistry and the biological sciences whereas others clearly exhibited the need for employees that fed a nexus between health care and information technology.

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Emerging Trends

• Demand for science-based positions was mentioned frequently among business leaders in the region. The positions could be listed as follows: Microbiologists, Macrobiologists, Molecular Biologists, Immunologists, Microbial Physiologists, Biochemists, Protein Chemists, Nurses, Physicians, Medical Imaging Professionals, Flow Cytometrists and Animal Lab Technicians. The science-based position in greatest demand in the region that emerged more frequently than others was Microbiology. While microbiologists are and will be highly sought after in the next one to five years, it is important to mention that emerging trends tell us that employers will be seeking a cross-section of a science background comingled with tech savvy, a background in business development and/or knowledge of the health care system. o Employers across the industry will be seeking candidates with the ability to design and execute experiments, analyze data and multi-task outside of training received and area of expertise.

• It was commonly mentioned that the health care systems will be experiencing a “data revolution” in the near future. There is a projected need to move towards a more efficient data model both within the lens of the Affordable Care Act and in general. It is projected that people in the commercial software field will be in high demand in the health care field with the specific need for advanced software capabilities. The opposite may be true for other employers in the region who are seeking highly skilled nurses and physicians who have excellent bedside manner, but function within a telehealth environment that is asking these employees to know how to appear on a screen and have a relationship with a patient who they may or may not be able to see. o There was mention of a skills matrix gap that exists in this realm. Some employees are very comfortable caring for people in person, while others are good at using technology to care for people. The gap comes in finding an emerging employee base than can fulfill both roles.

• There will be a growing demand for internet and mobile application developers, software developers and support staff for these positions. Many industry leaders expressed a need for these support positions to be equipped with soft and foundational skills although they were willing to invest in customer care training that fit their company-specific modules. o There was a small but ever-present trend of the need for employees with a background in animated videography, computer graphics and user interface design.

• Industry leaders both small and large mentioned business and product development. These skill sets were most often mentioned, however, in addition to the above emerging trends.

• Historically, many Life Sciences jobs have been narrowly focused, highly specialized and can often be heavily regulated. Employers interviewed for this study noted a shift in the

11 industry and reported an increased need for employees with proficiency in multiple specialty areas. o There will continue to be a need for positions that fall in the risk management category, i.e. quality control and regulatory affairs. These positions, however, usually call for a combination of a degree plus multiple years of experience specifically working in risk management in the Life Sciences industry. o Specific combinations of skills that are in demand are discussed further in the following section.

Skills And Experience That Are Difficult To Find

• Finding people with strong relationship building skills, critical thinking skills and patience while working with occasionally difficult situations are difficult to find. The ability to innovate freely is highly sought after but also difficult to find within the region.

• Cancer diagnostics is a skills gap area due to the newness of the technology; therefore the pool of employees that have been trained is small to non-existent. Those certified in nuclear medicine technology, positron emission tomography (PET) and radiochemistry with specified skill sets are also difficult to find in the region.

• Industry leaders expressed that it is hard to find employees versed in clinical microbiology that have also had experience working in the industry, as well as candidates that have worked in microbiology specific to manufacturing. There was some interest expressed in Doctoral level backgrounds in fields such as microbial physiology and biochemistry that were difficult to recruit from within the region. Lastly, employers found it hard to find fermentation scientists and candidates with a background in human primary cell isolation.

• Finding people with a good mix of care delivery skills and tech savvy is difficult and an ongoing theme throughout many interviews with industry leaders. Companies often have to invest in further training in one or the other to bring employees up to the high standards set for their customer care modules. Like Information Technology and Communications, strong “tech to non-tech” communications skills have become increasingly more important. Many of the support staff for software developers, for example, also serve as customer care support so the ability to communicate on the job and to the client in an easily understandable manner is of utmost importance. Although some industry leaders found it easy to attract call center and mainframe skills, trying to leverage talent from the same skills has proven more challenging.

• Some industry leaders expressed a difficulty in filling senior level positions. They also expressed a need for quality control skills and regulatory affairs professionals as these often are mid-to-senior level positions that are always in demand, due to the industry facing frequent changes in regulation.

12 Hiring and Recruiting Challenges

• Company leaders noted “measured opportunity” in the region. They find it difficult to attract talent to the region because there aren’t enough alternate, viable employment opportunities available in the event they wish to make a desirable or necessary change of employer. There was an expressed interest in creating a partnership of life sciences or biotech industry leaders much like SARTA so that a more visible network was available for senior level employees with unique skill sets.

• Some industry leaders felt that they were competing with the region itself. They found it difficult to make this area as attractive as a bigger city in the Bay Area with more amenities. In the same vein, most of the regional employers interviewed felt that they were competing with Bay Area biotech companies for qualified candidates that could demand and receive higher salaries. It should further be noted that certain industry leaders are outsourcing due to high fixed cost structures.

• Some employers expressed a willingness to train new employees. They hire based on perceived competency and are willing to work with them after the fact. Certain industry leaders provide a lot of training and support to new hires and were willing to do so to contribute to a better educated workforce over all. Others prefer to hire candidates that have background and experience; their new hires need the requisite training but are otherwise ready to work. For some companies, training is necessary for everyone because the technology or processes used were unique enough to require special training.

• Industry leaders felt they were competing regionally with big hospital systems that were adopting their own medical technologies as well as with the level of talent coming from universities, given that this region does not have a student base that matches the numbers of the Bay Area.

• Another challenge, as covered in earlier sections, is finding individuals that have the education and/or work experience with a technical background that enables them to work at high competency and productivity levels.

Policy, Regulatory and Other Activities

The interview protocol also included a specific question about awareness of policy, regulatory or other activities occurring that could significantly increase demand for their products and services.

• There were many mentions of the Affordable Care Act and how that may affect increase in demand for products and services. Although there was specific mention of uncertainty, there was also an understanding that this new legislation could put potential clients on a fast track to overcoming fears of adopting new technologies. Affordable Care Organizations

13 were also mentioned with regards to budgeting for new technologies due to the fact that they budget in multi-year segments.

• Some of the industry leaders expressed awareness of legislation “on the hill” attempting to remove barriers to telemedicine. They, along with other and organizations, are working to find innovative ways to have an effective and efficient healthcare system and are active in reaching out to local and state representatives.

• Overall there was a desire to foster innovation in the region and to overcome the barriers of strict regulatory processes that can be costly and time consuming for start-ups. There were many examples of relationships that have been made with UC Davis and CSUS to connect students with jobs and training in the bioscience and life sciences field, however, there was also a disconnect mentioned in adopting curriculum that prepares students for the real world.

Next Steps: Life Sciences Cluster Workforce Development Recommendations

Valley Vision staff extracted key findings from the cluster interviews with a focus on identifying workforce gaps and opportunities, emerging trends in the Life Sciences business cluster, and activities that could strengthen the region’s workforce. Key stakeholders and industry representatives were asked to identify actions that would address both current needs in the Life Sciences cluster and those that are expected to emerge over the next one to five years. Recommended actions for the region’s Life Sciences business cluster are outlined below.

1. Ensure training and education programs are aligned with current and emerging workforce needs. a. Expand the availability of classes and training opportunities that address the soft skills gap (communication, critical thinking, problem solving, professional conduct) and make these skills a requirement for degree completion. b. Create leadership and teamwork training for high school, junior college and university students that can be woven into general education requirements. c. Explore the feasibility of creating local training or certification programs focused on web and mobile application development, software development and support, radiology technologies and laboratory technologies. d. Review curriculum at local community colleges and universities to integrate opportunities for students to gain relevant hands-on experience. e. Focus on creating training and skill building opportunities in extension or certificate programs instead of making changes to core curriculum, which can be time consuming. f. Embed preparation for required certification and examinations into curriculum. g. Research the possibility of credits or other monetary incentives for companies willing to train students and/or provide internships.

14 2. Increase awareness of education, certification and skill requirements for Life Sciences related jobs. a. Make sure high school and college students know about the growing opportunities in the Life Sciences field and the associated expectations for a strong science background and degree attainment. b. Increase knowledge of career placement paths for various Life Sciences jobs in the region. c. Create a comprehensive inventory of training providers who offer certifications and exam preparation and conduct focused outreach to employers, recruiters and educators. d. Support expanded focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education at the K-12 level to grow the talent pipeline for the future. 3. Strengthen connections between industry and education a. Strengthen relationships with organizations like SARTA and explore the possibility of creating industry specific organizations to assist employers in attracting and retaining talent. b. Explore ways to create more opportunities for internships, mentoring relationships and ways for students to gain experience in a variety of professional settings. c. Provide more opportunities for business and community leaders to get in the classroom and share real world experience with students. d. Support relationships between higher education institutions and employers to create easily accessible career pathways within the region for top candidates. e. Work with high school industry specific academies to create pathways to certifications upon graduation. 4. Attract more Life Sciences professionals to the Sacramento region a. Bring Life Sciences companies together to create better knowledge of career placement pathways in the region. b. Focus on branding the region by partnering with other industry leaders and local organizations for regional marketing projects. c. Focus on attracting and retaining a more diversified pool of companies to provide enough job opportunities to sustain a robust Life Sciences workforce. d. Develop a targeted campaign articulating the benefits of living and working in places like Davis, Sacramento or Roseville for graduating students and young professionals. e. Bring Life Sciences companies together to shoot a video highlighting the region’s assets and opportunities for Life Sciences professionals to be used as part of an external marketing campaign.

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