The 11-week course will be taught in the new Biotechnology Training Center, which will open in April at the campus on N.C. 56 west of Louisburg. Bioprocess Technician training will prepare persons to work as a process technician and run manufacturing processes in biotechnology, pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing companies. Persons who complete the course will have the basic skills to start work immediately in bioprocessing, pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing. Currently, about 3,000 North Carolinians work in the manufacture of medicines, vaccines, enzymes, amino acids and related products. The biotechnology industry is projecting enormous growth in the next 20 years, with employment exceeding 100,000 in the state, Hall said.
Working environments are clean and pleasant, and the biotech companies offer good benefit packages.
A 96-hour pilot program is currently being conducted at Novozymes to train employees for the company s manufacturing process. Officials of Novozymes, the world s largest producer of industrial enzymes, say they cannot get enough trained people to fill their jobs. In addition to job opportunities with the Franklin County industry, Hall said that companies in Research Triangle Park will give preference to persons who have the bioprocess technician training. Three separate sessions of the course will be offered, beginning April 3 and ending June 13, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Classes will be from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, from 1 to 4 p.m. or from 6 to 9 p.m.