An innovative collaboration between a Swiss multinational biotechnology manufacturing company and a local educational institution has already seen initial success. The partnership between Lonza and Alvin Community College (ACC) is a leading example of how industry and colleges can work together to meet the growing demand for talent and help catalyze the future of biotech in the Houston region.  Lonza Establishes Operations in Pearland  In 2018, Lonza established a 300,000-square-foot life science facility in Pearland, dedicated to cell and gene therapy manufacturing. The company has since seen great success and recently expanded its Houston footprint with an additional 15,000 square feet of lab space. This growth has created a need for more skilled workers to fill entry-level positions at the facility. While Houston boasts a diverse and educated talent pool, Lonza identified a skills gap during its hiring process – eligible candidates with a bachelor’s degree lacked the basic, hands-on skills needed to complete onboarding. So, they forged a partnership with a local educational partner – ACC.   Houston’s Biotech Industry  Biotechnology is a field that involves the use of living organisms, cells and biological systems to develop products and technologies that improve the quality of life and the health of the planet. In Houston, home to the renowned Texas Medical Center, biotechnology is critical for advancing medical treatments, diagnostics and pharmaceuticals. The region is expected to see an 18 percent increase in job growth over the next 10 years with a third of those positions being in pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing, per a news release from ACC.  Lonza and ACC Partnership  Last fall, ACC launched the new biotechnology program to create a direct pipeline of entry-level technicians for Lonza. ACC worked closely with Lonza to develop a curriculum for two six-week courses designed to equip students with essential biotechnology safety procedures, such as gowning and de-gowning for clean rooms and using bio-safety cabinets. The program targets high school graduates and professionals seeking a career change, offering certifications as Biotech Material Handlers or Biotech Core Technicians. Since its inception, the program has produced 12 graduates, with one direct hire at Lonza, ACC told the Partnership.   “The biotech program at ACC was very affordable [and] very quick as well,” said Crystal Aguilar, ACC biotech program graduate and Core Technician I, Lonza, in a testimonial video. “They did teach us how to use the equipment, so the pipette aids, the serological pipettes, how to transfer the cells [and] how to get the job done. At Lonza, we had an onboarding training where I felt very advanced and confident in what I was doing. I was able to finish that training in half the time where other coworkers who had attended a four-year degree institution had taken longer.”  Following the first cohort, Lonza eliminated its bachelor's degree requirement for potential candidates, ensuring that individuals with certificates or entry-level skills are considered. Additionally, ACC has extended the program from 12 to 15 weeks to ensure career readiness by adding interview prep sessions, virtual reality training and increased time for students to practice gowning and de-gowning.   “Our goal is to not only create customized trainings to meet the immediate workforce needs, but also create stackable pathways so that students can continue to enhance their skills and career [possibilities],” said Stacy Ebert, Vice President of Workforce & Strategic Initiatives at ACC, at the Partnership’s Upskill: Life Sciences Forum.   ACC’s Commitment to Advancing Biotech Careers  To further enhance the program’s capabilities, the Texas New Mexico Power Fund provided an $8,000 grant to purchase a biosafety cabinet for the Biotechnology training certificate courses. The cabinet will enable students to become familiar with the equipment they will use in the workforce. Additionally, ACC signed a five-year lease agreement for a 14,500-square-foot facility in Manvel, which will house a new biotech lab, providing space for students to engage in hands-on learning.  The new facility underscores ACC’s commitment to supporting the region’s workforce needs, offering a diverse array of training and certificate programs tailored for local employers.   Learn more about Houston’s growing biotech industry and the Partnership’s Upskill Houston initiative. 

[PRESS RELEASE] - The tech industry in the state of Texas is booming, with a growing demand for skilled workers in Cloud/IT support, software development and data analytics. According to LinkedIn, there are over 8,000 tech jobs currently unfilled in the state of Texas. To address this talent gap, AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance is expanding into Texas with support from key collaborators across industry, education and government with the goal of helping to modernize tech programs of study at higher education institutions, connecting learners to in-demand tech jobs and supporting the development of a highly-skilled tech workforce in the Lone Star State. "As the pace of technological change advances in every market, the need for a globally diverse, digitally skilled pipeline has never been more important. The expansion of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance into Texas further demonstrates our commitment to bring together government, education, industry and nonprofits to address this critical need and enable future economic growth," said Valerie Singer, AWS Global Education Lead. The initial launch of the Tech Alliance in Texas focuses on the Houston and Dallas metropolitan areas. These two major hubs are home to a diverse array of employers seeking tech talent and a robust system of educational institutions ready to prepare the next generation of Cloud and IT professionals. This launch represents a critical step in addressing the talent gap in the state's tech industry. Four of the state's higher education institutions have come together as part of the region's initial launch: Texas State University Houston Community College Dallas College Kilgore College Several of the state's most innovative companies will collaborate with AWS to identify talent needs, provide real-world learning experiences for students and hire qualified candidates into tech roles. These employers include Brooksource Corestack DLZP Group JP Morgan Chase Tanches Global Management TEKsystems "JP Morgan Chase has been deeply ingrained in the Texas community for more than a century and a half, tracing its origins back to the First National Bank of Houston," said Stacey Laurent, Vice President and Lead Technical Program Manager for JP Morgan Chase. "We prioritize investing in our community's individuals. As proud members of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance, we eagerly anticipate contributing to the worldwide movement that revitalizes tech education and fosters a diverse, skilled pool of talent, enriching the landscape of Texas. Diversity stands as a cornerstone of our values at JP Morgan Chase; it is essential for fostering innovation and progress." Recently, Texas has been recognized for its innovative approach to aligning education policy to its economic goals. Central to these policies is the push to ensure post-secondary programming leads to high quality career pathways for Texans. This alignment of education, workforce and economic development goals fits perfectly with the goals of the Tech Alliance and provides a unique partnership opportunity with the state. To ensure that the program continues to amplify the state's priorities, AWS will work closely with the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Economic Development Corporation. AWS has a long history of collaborating with organizations in Texas to advance workforce development and skills attainment initiatives. Participation in the Greater Houston Partnership's UpSkill Houston Executive Committee and the Dallas Regional Chamber's Board of Directors has helped position AWS as a regional voice in workforce and economic development. These organizations, along with Alcantar Strategies, will partner with AWS to leverage their extensive networks and community connections to promote Tech Alliance programs and connect learners to opportunities. Through its employer-led UpSkill Houston initiative, the Greater Houston Partnership has invested heavily in advancing the skills and opportunities for Houstonians, ensuring employers have the skilled talent they need to grow and compete," said Peter Beard, Senior Vice President of Regional Workforce Development for the Greater Houston Partnership. "Collaborating with AWS as a member of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance will amplify the work we are already accomplishing in Houston and advance the alignment of our talent pipelines to in-demand technology jobs in all industries." "The Dallas Regional Chamber is focused on improving the education, talent and workforce pipeline to support a high-quality life for all people in the Dallas Region," said Elizabeth Caudill McClain, Senior Vice President of Talent Strategies at the Dallas Regional Chamber. "The launch of the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance poses an exciting opportunity for business leaders across Texas to join together to address the skills gap for high-demand IT jobs while also supporting the economic mobility of Texans - a win-win for the future of our companies and communities." AWS launched the Tech Alliance in June 2023 at the DC Public Sector Summit, bringing together a global coalition of higher education institutions, employers, government and collaborating organizations to address the tech skills gap. The Tech Alliance is currently represented in nine countries (USA, Egypt, Spain, Singapore, Italy, Germany, India, Colombia and Brazil), with four other US states engaged (New York, Illinois, Washington and West Virginia). Since its global launch, the Tech Alliance has connected more than 23,000 learners from over 900 higher education institutions with over 350 employers. To learn more or get involved, please visit the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance homepage.