Life Sciences programs expand to meet industry needs, Telicia Hunter named new director

In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, the life sciences industry experienced a surge in demand for biotechnology professionals. In 2020, more than 11,000 biotechnology jobs were created in the Research Triangle.

As pharmaceutical companies around the world scrambled to develop a vaccine, local companies started calling Durham Tech more than ever before.

They needed skilled workers in their labs, and fast.

Telicia Hunter, then-Curriculum Developer for Biotechnology courses at Durham Tech, said it was a challenge, but she was up for it.

“All of a sudden, all eyes were on biotechnology – the College president, Durham and Orange Counties, the Back-to-Work Initiative, the BULLS Initiative. Covid brought a lot of awareness into our industry and companies were reaching out to us needing people trained and ready to work,” she said.

This summer, the Durham County Board of Commissioners announced a $112.7 million bond referendum for Durham Tech to include a 35,280-square-foot life sciences training and education center and in September, Durham Tech was notified that it will receive $1.38 million in federal grant funding to support the College’s life sciences workforce development program.

“The proposed Durham Tech project will absolutely be necessary to successfully scale our current efforts to ensure that Durham residents and specifically our young adults of color have pathways to high-wage, high-growth careers in our own community. There is a need now and there is clearly a greater future need for the facility improvement industry careers like life sciences,” said Casey Steinbacher, Executive Director of Made in Durham.

Hunter, now director of Life Sciences programs, was in the midst of transitioning courses online and developing take-home lab kits when enrollment began to grow in 2020.

“We were able to reach so many more people by offering online courses because a lot of students had full schedules to work around and families to care for. It’s great that we were able to offer such a flexible option so more people could enroll,” Hunter said.

Students like Cheryl Winstead completed coursework in just three to four months and were immediately hired as Process Technicians or Manufacturing Associates. Winstead completed BioWork 3.0, GMP and SOP, and Biocertification Boot Camp in December 2020 and started working at Merck in January 2021.

"The classes gave me a great foundation to build upon. Durham Tech has changed my life in so many ways,” Winstead said. “Not only did they help prepare me for a job in biotech, but they also helped build my confidence and encouraged me to go after the job at Merck. The support has continued beyond the classroom, which has been incredible."

Enrollment in Biotechnology courses grew 200% during Covid and new initiatives and partnerships were developed.

In May 2021, Durham Tech and KBI BioPharma announced a Manufacturing Apprenticeship Program to bolster a diverse talent pipeline in biotechnology and increase access to underutilized labor pools.

“I am excited to work with Durham Tech on this program, which addresses a fundamental challenge for our industry: building a sustainable pipeline for our future workforce, while creating the opportunity to kickstart the career of young talent,” said Dirk Lange, President and CEO of KBI.

Last summer, Durham Tech offered its first Biotechnology Summer Camp, in partnership with the City of Durham Office of Economic and Workforce Development YouthWorks Program, which introduced local high school students to the field. This summer, the camp doubled its impact by also hosting middle school and high school students with Durham Public Schools.

In March 2022, Durham Tech and Wake Tech announced the launch of RTP Bio, a new workforce development collaboration that unites biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and biopharmaceutical talent pipelines of the two community colleges.

Earlier this year, U.S. Rep. David Price announced $1.2 million in federal funding to support the RTP Bio collaboration.

“Community colleges, like Durham Tech and Wake Tech, play a critical role in our communities as drivers of economic growth,” said Congressman Price. “The RTP Bio Workforce Development Project exemplifies this role and will provide the skills training necessary to connect our students with quality jobs as the biotechnology sector continues to expand in the Triangle.”

Durham Tech also partnered with the NC Biotechnology Center to offer the BULLS Life Sciences Academy Initiative, which recruits underrepresented students, ages 18-25, to enroll in the biotechnology program and receive a stipend for other life expenses – breaking down potential barriers to success.

“The impact I want to make in this position is that I want people who are interested in life sciences or biotech to think of Durham Tech first,” Hunter said. “We want more than 80% of our students placed in jobs and we want to be the number one training center for the biopharmaceutical industry in the Triangle.”

In January 2023, the biotechnology program will move to Building 6 on Main Campus and begin offering in-person and hybrid courses.

By Fall 2023, the College will offer an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Biotechnology, which will include new courses like cell culture training and pharmaceutical quality.

Learn more about Life Sciences program offerings.
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Contact Marcy Gardner, Content and Social Media Coordinator, at gardnerm@durhamtech.edu