Education biggest hurdle for $1B biotech fund plan
BYLINE: Mark Hollmer
Gov. Deval Patrick's new $1 billion life sciences initiative drew cheers from the crowd during last week's BIO industry convention in Boston. But some industry insiders say the state, despite progress, faces a challenge in meeting one of the plan's major goals: training more people to fill an expected boom in demand for life sciences manufacturing jobs.
"This move on the part of the governor is a bold one," said Dr. Gary Gottlieb, president of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. But "we have not invested adequately in the community college or state university system to be able to compete as aggressively as North Carolina" and other states.
Patrick's plan is an attempt, in part, to change that trend through a funding scheme expected to boost both research and industry development by involving the state, industry and public and private universities.
He'd use bonds, funding from the state budget and public-private matching funds to pursue ideas such as a stem-cell research facility at the University of Massachusetts, grants to bridge expected decreases in research funding from the National Institutes of Health and regional life sciences centers that spur economic development in outlying cities and towns.
About $500 million would go toward public higher education, including funding for facilities and equipment, in collaboration with the life sciences industry. Another $250 million would be spent for grants, fellowship and workforce training; $250 million in private sector matching funds would be spent in the same areas.
Kenneth Fiola Jr., executive vice president of the Fall River Office of Economic Development, welcomed the funding news, saying the state's bid to broaden life sciences job growth to cities such as Lowell and Fall River will fail without proper training.
But he said more is needed to make sure those goals will be met.
"The state needs to adopt some regulations and a policy," Fiola said, "so there is more training available to people in this sector."
Gottlieb said Patrick's program is "revolutionary" and that the state has long demonstrated the ability to launch and fund research initiatives in areas such as mental health, though not at the scale proposed now.
The real concern, he said, will be to use the money effectively for life sciences-related job training.
"This is highly skilled stuff, but we have a substantial skill gap now," he said. "And flat population growth is inadequate to be able to fill the jobs we will be creating with this investment."
Still, the state has made progress in its efforts to recruit and retain life sciences-related companies such as Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., which is building a biomanufacturing facility in Devens.
Also on the plus side, an economic stimulus bill passed last year enabled the Massachusetts Office of Business Development to boost its budget by $1.5 million to $3.5 million in a bid to nurture life sciences and other industries.
That money helped expand the state's industry "sales force" to more than 14 people from six, finally pushing Massachusetts past South Dakota's similar business development office. Life sciences industry director John Mahoney -- a new hire last year -- previously helped Ireland recruit life sciences companies, according to Bob Coughlin, undersecretary of business development for the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.
Still, job recruitment will be for naught if the state can't train enough workers for the jobs created. Maryluci Bladon therefore eagerly hopes for more community college funding.
She directs the biotechnology program at Middlesex Community College, which offers certificate and associate's degree programs for biomanufacturing.
Enrollment has jumped from around 100 students per semester to about 160 over the past two years. More funding, Bladon said, would enable her to boost the amount of graduates and use better equipment.
"Some of our instruments are too old and breaking down," she said. "I could buy new ones. I would love that."