From the moment children step into kindergarten classrooms to the day they walk across the stage at graduation, their journey in education shapes not only their individual futures but also the trajectory of our society. As someone now deeply entrenched in the biotech and life sciences industry, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of investing in STEM education from an early age — and I’ve seen the ways its benefits reach beyond traditional education, to adults seeking new career paths.
STEM education develops critical thinking skills, problem-solving and the scientific knowledge that will help us tackle the challenges of the future. But it also prepares students for the career opportunities of today.
Life sciences jobs are in demand
This industry is growing rapidly in Ohio, and our life sciences companies need skilled people now. Some of these jobs require bachelor’s or advanced degrees. But many, including those in high-tech labs, require a high school diploma or certificate.
There are great jobs available, paying an average $95,000 a year — more than double our state’s median salaries. But too many students — including those adults who might be looking to switch careers — do not know about these jobs or what it takes to obtain them.
It’s become clear that our industry and our state must do more to inform people about these opportunities, and to connect them with the training they need to not only get jobs in the life sciences but succeed in them.
We’re thinking about these people in three groups:
- Our emerging workforce: Students who are in grades 6 through 12 who might be interested in science but who don’t fully understand the opportunities available.
- Our imminent workforce: Students in college who are on the brink of starting their careers, and who likely already know they enjoy working in the sciences — but who might not know the full breadth of what that field offers.
- Our incumbent workforce: Our current working population in and outside Ohio who, with some upskilling, reskilling, or relocation support could find a fulfilling opportunity at one of our companies.
The key for all groups is more than just education. It is, I would argue, intentional education. And we’re devoting the coming months and years to being intentional in how we help all Ohioans, especially students, see their potential.
Investing in education
Ohio Life Sciences is working with education partners, including Columbus State Community College and industry leaders, to create certificate programs for people who are already in the workforce — or who want to be — to train them, quickly, for the jobs available now.
We’re partnering with Education Projects to develop workshops and externships for educators with Ohio’s medical device developers and therapeutic companies, starting this summer, giving teachers insight into these companies’ day-to-day work. This insight will inform classroom lessons, which will help students see what this kind of science looks like in the real world.
And we’re doing more to encourage kids to engage in the life sciences across the state. We participated in the Ohio Invention League’s Invention Convention back in January at the Ohio Statehouse and saw incredible life science-related inventions. We will be showcasing the life sciences at COSI’s annual Big Science Celebration in May, where students can explore through more than 100 hands-on science experiments on COSI’s campus. Our new partnership with Form5 Prosthetics will introduce more students to the medical device industry, and we will be supporting the Ohio Academy of Science’s science fairs.
Our member companies are also busy visiting high schools, talking with students about biotech careers.
It’s an incredibly exciting time for our state. Opportunities abound across the life sciences.
By preparing students and existing workers to meet this demand, we are not only securing individuals’ futures, but we’re also ensuring our state’s future prosperity as a whole.
