Life Science Apprenticeship Program Launching at Kean

The Institute for Life Science Entrepreneurship (ILSE) at Kean University has launched an apprenticeship program to train workers for life science careers. The program received pilot funding under the Growing Apprenticeships in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) program in the New Jersey Department of Labor’s Office of Apprenticeship. 

ILSE received $187,600 in GAINS funding to train 20 new lab technicians through a Registered Apprenticeship Program with the U.S. Department of Labor. The one-year apprenticeship initiative will include both in-class learning and on-the-job training. Successful apprentices will work with sponsoring employers to gain valuable experience and learn critical skills to enter the life science industry.

“This program is an important component of ILSE’s mission to help develop the life science industry in New Jersey,” said Keith Bostian, Ph.D., ILSE CEO and dean of the New Jersey Center for Science, Technology and Mathematics (NJCSTM) at Kean University, where ILSE is located. “A trained workforce is necessary for the industry to grow, and New Jersey’s legacy pharmaceutical industry and its active startup community are excellent places for apprentices to begin careers in life science.”

Kean students, high school students, and any member of the public are eligible for the apprenticeship program. It is expected to begin by December 2022 and apprentices will be ready to hire by December 2023. 

During the program, apprentices will be paid by the sponsoring employer providing on-the-job training. The companies will receive a stipend of at least $2,000 per apprentice to offset the training costs.

“There is structured on-the-job learning that reinforces the classroom lessons,” said Padma Arvind, the consultant overseeing the Kean program. “After the apprenticeship is over, it is expected that the apprentice will be hired as an employee.”

The lab technician program could lead to Kean developing new Registered Apprenticeship Programs with the U.S. Department of Labor in the pharmaceutical industry.

“Kean faculty will provide in-class training to introduce necessary topics and concepts to apprentices,” said Derrick J. Swinton, Ph.D., associate dean of NJCSTM. “The coursework will include instruction across several complementary disciplines and will enable apprentices to develop skills and understanding across the spectrum of disciplines to make them valuable employees following the program.”

ILSE is currently recruiting companies to participate in the program. For information, contact Padma Arvind, Ph.D., at padma.arvind@gmail.com.