Biotechnology Seminar

September 16, 2005
The Center for Workforce Development hosted a Seminar For bay area community colleges called "Developing the Biotechnology Workforce: Sharing Strategies and Developing Partnerships" on Friday, September 16, 2005 from 10:00 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Westin San Francisco Airport. Designed for faculty, administrators, and economic & workforce development specialists from the Bay Area's Community Colleges, the seminar featured biotechnology industry representatives and education specialists who addressed how community colleges are meeting the biotechnology workforce challenge and what is needed. The seminar showcased award winning bay area bio-manufacturing workforce partnerships and the role of community college biotechnology partnerships on a state & national level. The seminar helpe foster regional college collaboration to build a regional career ladders approach to bio-manufacturing that is articulated with and recognized by industry. Seventeen community colleges attended. Presenters included: Linda Collins, Director, CCC Board of Governor's, Career Ladders Project; Jim DeKloe, Professor, Solano College and Bio-Link Southwest Regional Director; Mary Pat Huxley, Director, State Biological Technologies Initiative, CCC Economic & Workforce Development Program; Elaine Johnson, Ph.D., Director, Bio-Link (National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education Center for Biotechnology); Nick Kapp, Ph.D., Professor, Skyline College; Edie Leonhardt, Ph.D., Director, Northern CA Biotechnology Center, and Professor, City College of San Francisco; Monica Poindexter, Senior Staffing Manager, Genentech, Inc.; William Watson, Director, Center for Workforce Development, Skyline College; Michael Williamson, Dean, Science, Math, Technology, Skyline College. The seminar was funded by Center for Workforce Development at Skyline College with "Industry Driven Regional Collaborative" funding from the Chancellor's Office, California Community Colleges.