Today, Jan. 22, marked the kick off of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s Accelerate NC Bioprocessing Training Program. The inaugural training program is part of the Accelerate NC–Life Sciences Manufacturing Initiative funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC). 

Dr. Ashley Allen, Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, offered opening remarks at the kickoff ceremony and noted that the program’s first cohort is full at 12 participants and they have a waitlist of 150 students looking to participate in the program in the future.

Robeson County has a tremendous need for more healthcare professionals. It is statistically proven that students are likely to stay and work in the area where they received their education, so by providing new health sciences programming UNCP is helping to boost the healthcare workforce in the area.

“There are a lot of good, good people in this area and they deserve this opportunity. And hopefully, with [Interstates] 95 and 74 companies will realize the potential that’s here and come and locate here. [We have] willing, smart workers, they want to work-they're smart folks, and they will work and you're going to give them the training to do that.” shared UNCP Chancellor Dr. Robin Gary Cummings during the ceremony.

The two-week training will help participants prepare for entry-level positions in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and ultimately strengthen regional industry clusters while boosting economic development across the state.  

Accelerate NC - Life Sciences Manufacturing is designed to strengthen its life sciences manufacturing cluster by investing in a more robust pipeline of biotech talent across the state and expanding those opportunities to underserved and historically excluded communities. There will be five other colleges and universities across the state where the Accelerate NC Bioprocessing Training Programs is rolled out including Fayetteville’s own Fayetteville State University. 

UNCP will be running this program again this summer and some of the 150 students interested may then participate or they may engage with the program at one of the other partner institutions in the HBCU/HAIU Coalition that will be hosting it.