Continued development and expansion of the life sciences industry in Washington State and the entire Intermountain Northwest will depend on a talent pool with the skills, knowledge, and attributes of a modern science and engineering workforce. Unfortunately, the three myths described in this article stand in the way of building that talent pool. Communities can dispel these myths by working with businesses and institutions on local and regional solutions. The work will take innovative thinking and a willingness to experiment. However, the outcomes of a diverse STEM talent pipeline, better return on educational investments, and the innovations of a world-class bioscience sector are worth the effort.
The demand for talent in the life sciences industry has been and will continue to be high. The authors of the Coalition of State Bioscience Institutes (CSBI) 2021 Life Sciences Workforce Trends report (1) found that life sciences employment in 2019-2020 rose by 1.4% despite the pandemic’s challenges. Hiring increased the most in the drugs and pharmaceuticals or research and testing sub-sectors, but the bioscience-related distribution, ag feedstock and industrial bioscience, and medical device and equipment sectors also increased employment. Both existing and startup companies need talent, especially in those regions (like the Intermountain Northwest) where life sciences are rapidly evolving and taking advantage of new technologies. This article will share my thoughts on building an agile and competent talent base by busting some myths about the life sciences workforce.
Myth #1: You need an advanced degree to work in this industry.
Low-skills (requiring less than a high school diploma or diploma and short-term training) and middle-skills (requiring less than a bachelor’s degree) jobs make up 53% of occupations in the life sciences. (2) Nationwide, the US is experiencing a shortfall of people in the Skilled Technical Workforce (STW) who use science and engineering skills in their jobs but do not have a bachelor’s degree. According to a 2019 National Science Board report, four systemic issues limit the growth of the STW: (3)
1. Misperceptions and lack of awareness of skilled technical career opportunities among parents, educators, guidance counselors, and students,
2. Gaps in nationally representative data on the education, knowledge, skills, and attributes of the STW,
3. Insufficient coordination of the federal STW-related investments and programs, and
4. Failure of policymakers and educational institutions to view K-12 to postsecondary education and workforce development as a synergistic partnership with business and industry.
That same report states that the US can address these issues by building better community partnerships between business, industry, and educational institutions emphasizing skilled technical work’s value, availability, and education requirements. Driving policy via STW data and leveraging federal STW-related investments are other approaches to increasing the STW. My personal experience suggests the partnerships have the highest value in our region since we can build on existing efforts like Career Connect Washington, Career Explore NW, the Biotechnician Assistant Credentialing Exam (BACE), and Project Lead The Way.. Such partnerships will be critical to addressing the issues behind the other myths in this article.
Myth #2: Most Ph.D. graduates are better suited for and eventually attain faculty roles.
The data support a different conclusion to graduate study. Ph.D. holders generally have a low unemployment rate; however, many will be well into their 30s before having a permanent job with a salary reflecting their education. Furthermore, most of these jobs will be non-faculty roles, and many end up in roles outside of their fields. (4) Indeed, for many graduates in science fields, a faculty job is an alternate career, as illustrated by this American Society for Cell Biology infographic, which shows the 2012 NIH Workforce report data for biology Ph.Ds. NIH statistics for other life sciences degrees are similar, and they have stayed approximately the same for the last decade. (5) A combination of university culture and faculty interests limit graduate student and postdoc interest and exploration in industry careers and entrepreneurial ventures, despite a decade of federal efforts to expand interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial curricula and career planning tools. (6) Novel programs such as the Biotechnology and Life Science Advising (BALSA) Group in St. Louis help graduate and postdoctoral researchers learn about and consult on business problems in the biomedical sciences and other fields. Still, these efforts are too few to make a sizeable impact. Innovation in science and engineering entrepreneurship education will require addressing the philosophical, structural, pedagogical, and research challenges inherent in our current educational paradigm. The disconnect between industry and academe is not one-sided, however. Industry attitudes that a degree is more important than meaningful work and industry experience still exist. However, both data and anecdotal evidence from the Workforce Trends report suggest this attitude may be changing. (7) Increased engagement and partnerships between universities and industry, facilitated by the National Manufacturing Institutes and other state and federal stakeholders, will be needed to entirely dispel this artificial barrier between high-skilled talent and a wealth of exciting and meaningful roles.
Myth #3: There are only a few ways to succeed in the life science industry, and all of them start with college right after high school.
One might think the varied stories of life science founders, startups, and businesses in the news and our SM feeds would dispel this myth, but it persists, sometimes due to those same stories. The truth is no one knows what they want to be when they grow up, and many life and work experiences are valuable preparation for bioscience careers. Many students thrive in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs after a dismal experience with traditional educational avenues. STW education and employment can help people find their “STEM spark.” (8) Since 2008, community colleges have played an increasing role in achieving a science or engineering bachelor’s degree, particularly for underrepresented minority groups and veterans. (9) The previously mentioned community partnerships need to work together to facilitate flexible education pathways centered around students and overcome the constraints on their lives. (10) Internal talent development programs, matched with coursework from CTE and postsecondary and programs, are partnership benefits that value an employee’s work experience and knowledge of company processes and procedures and lead to advanced skills and degrees. In addition, communities play a role in developing wrap-around services that facilitate further education and an enjoyable lifestyle. These services are vital for life science roles that require shift work, which align poorly with the hours and availability of routine community services. Lastly, many science and engineering skills, knowledge, and attributes valuable in life sciences are also crucial in other advanced manufacturing and research sectors. Flexible skills development and education programs help employees and companies respond to shifts in need caused by economic disruptions such as those we’ve seen during the SARS-COV-2 pandemic.
It will take many individuals and institutions’ focused and thoughtful efforts to bust these three myths. The life sciences talent shortfall is already acute, and straightforward solutions like ramping up degree programs won’t meet the need. There is every reason for businesses, institutions, and communities to work on pilot projects to meet the demand. These projects could expand access to entry-level jobs, enable exploration of industry careers in graduate school, and create flexible pathways to acquiring the knowledge, skills, and attributes needed for long-term employment in a thriving life sciences industry. We require that industry more than ever to overcome the many health challenges we’ve neglected during the pandemic and any new challenges yet to emerge.
References
(1) Helwig, R., & Letter, D. (2021). 2021 Life Sciences Workforce Trends Report: Taking Stock of Industry Talent Dynamics Following a Disruptive Year, page 4. Retrieved from https://www.csbioinstitutes.org/workforce-developmenton January 3, 2022.
(2) Helwig & Letter, page 10.
(3) McCrary, V. R., Chandler, V. L., Groves, R. M., Jackson, J. S., Lineberger, W. C., & Richmond, G. L. (2019). The Skilled Technical Workforce: Crafting America’s Science & Engineering Enterprise, page 7. Retrieved from https://www.nsf.gov/nsb/publications/2019/nsb201923.pdf on January 3, 2022.
(4) Jordan Weissmann. (2014). The Stagnating Job Market for Young Scientists. Retrieved from https://slate.com/business/2014/07/employment-rates-for-stem-ph-d-s-its-a-stagnant-job-market-for-young-scientists.html. Accessed December 28, 2021 on December 28, 2021
(5) National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, National Science Foundation (2021). Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2020. NSF 22-300. Alexandria, VA. Retrieved from https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf22300/ on December 28, 2021.
(6) Schillebeeckx, M., Maricque, B., & Lewis, C. (2013). The missing piece to changing the university culture. Nature Biotechnology, 31(10), 938-941. doi:10.1038/nbt.2706
(7) Helwig & Letter, pages 20-21.
(8) McCrary, et al., page 16.
(9) Foley D, Milan L, Hamrick K; National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) (2020). The Increasing Role of Community Colleges among Bachelor’s Degree Recipients: Findings from the 2019 National Survey of College Graduates. NSF 21-309. Alexandria, VA: National Science Foundation. Retrieved from https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf21309/ on January 3, 2022.
(10) McCrary, et al., page 22.
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