Community College Workforce Alliance
Richmond-Petersburg Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Workforce Initiative
Project Description:
The Richmond-Petersburg Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Workforce Initiative, led by the Community College Workforce Alliance, will create a scalable, robust workforce system to support advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing (APM) and the biotechnology sector in the Richmond and Petersburg region in Virginia. The project supports national priorities to reshore manufacturers, build a robust U.S.‑based pharmaceutical supply chain, and resolve the country’s drug shortage crisis by growing the APM workforce capabilities across two severely distressed cities. Together with educational institutions and industry partners, the initiative will establish a Workforce Sectoral Partnership Intermediary, deliver real-time labor market intelligence to maximize partner effectiveness, provide ongoing recruitment and engagement with underrepresented and underserved communities, and provide comprehensive education, training, and work-based learning. The project aims to serve low-income individuals, women, minorities and veterans with high school diplomas or less and will support participants with a wide range of wraparound support services including tuition assistance, childcare, housing, transportation, and a flexible mobile lab.
This project will advance the Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Tech Hub, which EDA designated as a Tech Hub in 2023. The Tech Hub seeks to accelerate the growth, innovation, and sustainability of the U.S.-based APM industry to re-shore safe and affordable medicines via innovating hybrid and continuous flow manufacturing technologies.
Approximate Award Amount: $3,944,308
Lead (backbone) organization: Community College Workforce Alliance
Key Technology Focus Area (KTFA):
- Biotechnology, medical technology, genomics, synthetic biology
- Robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing
Anticipated Placements: 228
Industries: Advanced Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Biotechnology