Micro-Credentials in Biotechnology

Written by Mike Roof, Chief Technology Officer of Vaccines, Diagnostics, and Immunotherapeutics, Iowa State University

Workforce Development in the field of biotechnology remains a focus across the industry both in terms of existing employees, but also in the recruitment of new talent. Micro-Credentials is a topic that is sweeping the industry as an emerging trend in workforce development.

What are Micro-Credentials?

At its core, micro-credentials are competency-based skills training, assessment, and demonstration. Micro-credentials are obtained from validated institutions (such as Iowa State University) and based on demonstrated skills and formal assessment. In contrast to an academic training, which the individual receives a grade (A, B, C) as an indicator or learning in a classroom setting, the micro-credential requires a practical, hands-on assessment with successful completion and demonstration of competency.

For example, a Micro-Credential on the use of a Bioreactor could include some class work to provide education and information, but could only be successfully credentialed or “Badged” if the individual demonstrated they could successfully set up a reactor, load with appropriate media with sterility, inoculate, monitor, and harvest under a formal assessment process.??

This hands-on competency assessment ensures not only the theoretical operation of a reactor, but practical demonstration that the individual can perform this in an unsupervised and effective way. This jumpstarts the contribution of new employees in a fast and an effective way to ensure industry relevant training for existing employees.

Training is fast, effective, and industry specific

The BioScience Platform of Vaccines, Diagnostics, and Immunotherapeutics has heard from our industry partners that training in analytical methods, antigen production (bacteria, virus, subunit, RNA), upstream processing, and downstream processing are areas of high value workforce development and a desired micro-credential opportunity.

It is also possible for the BioScience Platform and specific industry partners to create partnerships in which micro-credentials can be co-branded and supported using specific technology or equipment. We are open to discussions on future connections as we move forward to provide this valuable an important workforce development opportunity to support the biotechnology industry.

Please reach out to Mike Roof, Chief Technology Officer of the Bioscience platform to discuss further ([email protected]).

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