March 7, 2025 • 43 mins
Vicki Brannock leverages over 20 years of experience in higher education program development, workforce development, and digital marketing strategy to grow the talent pool in California's life science industry. As a key figure at Biocom Institute, she ensures first-to-market access to top talent through signature programs and strategic partnerships in education and industry. Previously, she held senior roles at Brandman University and the San Diego Workforce Partnership, building deep relationships with workforce development boards and educational institutions across California. Vicki also writes and consults on the future of work, organizational structure, change management, and program design.
BioCom Fellowship Program
https://www.biocom.org/programs/biocom-california-institute/fellowship-programs/
Life Science Workforce Symposium
https://www.biocom.org/programs/biocom-california-institute/life-science-workforce-symposium/
Life Science Career Expo
https://www.biocom.org/event/Greater-LA-Life-Science-Career-Expo-2025/
Certificate Programs at the College of Professional and Continuing Education
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hey, what's going on everybody from the College of Professional and Continuing Education at
(00:17):
Cal State Long Beach.
I'm Dr. Pahole Sookkasikon with Pacing Your Future, a podcast that charts the course of
today's most exciting industries and the people that help shape them.
Discover the many opportunities within the numerous fields we cover and be inspired by
the stories of notable individuals who have paved their own paths.
And just like our name suggests, our mission is to pace ahead, be proactive, adaptable,
(00:42):
creative and engaged.
Whether you're seeking career insights, industry trends or are just simply inquisitive, let's
pace your future together.
And today we're joined by Vicki Brannock.
Vicki leverages her 20 years of experience in higher education program development, workforce
development and digital marketing strategy to grow the talent pool in California's life
(01:02):
science industry.
As a key figure at Biocom Institute California, she ensures first-to-market access to top
talent through programs and strategic partnerships in education and industry.
Previously, she held senior roles at Brandman University and the San Diego Workforce Partnership,
building deep relationships with workforce development boards and educational institutions
(01:24):
across California.
Vicki also writes and consults on the future of work, organizational structure, change
management and program design.
Vicki, welcome to the show.
Thank you so much for having me.
Just to start off with something fun, we like to ask fun questions for all our guests.
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So imagine your industry is the main character in a blockbuster movie, because Los Angeles,
right?
What's the plot and who are its main characters?
That's a great question and I don't have to look far to find an answer for that one, because
it's more about a franchise rather than an actual movie.
And I really, when I think about life science, I think about Star Trek.
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There's just so much to compare with this industry and what they do in that particular
show and of course all the movies.
One of the things that is really cool is the exploration of the unknown.
And life science field is all about pushing boundaries of knowledge, particularly in areas
like genomics, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
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Researchers and scientists are constantly trying to explore the unknown, whether it's
decoding the human genome, whether it's developing new treatments or discovering novel diseases.
There's also a lot of problem solving through technology and life sciences often rely on
cutting edge technology such as CRISPR gene editing, artificial intelligence, robotic
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surgeries, innovations and technology drives progress and understanding complex biological
systems and finding solutions to health challenges.
There's the collaboration and diversity of expertise.
So the field is highly interdisciplinary.
So biologists, chemists, engineers, clinicians, data scientists all work together to solve
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really complex health issues and collaboration and diverse expertise are really essential
for breakthrough drugs and development and diagnostics and treatment.
And then there's the people that actually have to do the manufacturing and those are
people at all levels.
So there is a ton of interesting things.
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One thing is that there's the ethical dilemmas too.
And so life science often grapples with ethical considerations such as the implications of
gene editing, use of stem cells, access to life saving treatments.
And the industry really has to navigate that balance between scientific progress and the
ethical responsibility and how to use that knowledge effectively and ethically.
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Discovery of new life, that's really an interesting piece when you stop and think about it because
much like Star Trek, right?
The encounters with alien life forms, life scientists are constantly discovering new
species, bacteria, viruses.
They often uncover surprising new biological organisms or systems that expand our understanding
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of life on earth or even beyond.
And they kind of like the search for extraterrestrial life.
And then of course, health and disease.
You know, when you think about much of the scientific industry is really concerned with
improving human health and curing diseases, prolonging life, whether it's through vaccines,
cancer treatments or regenerative medicine, the goal is really to protect and enhance
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human life.
And then one other one that I can think of is life science industry is about looking
toward the future.
And it's all about evolving and innovating to address challenges in health, to sustainability
and biotechnologies.
And the next big discovery or invention is always on the horizon.
So wow.
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I mean, that's beautiful because it's like the explorative nature of life sciences
like boundless, right?
And it's just the way it can reach into so many different fields, so many different,
you know, avenues and pathways that I'm sure the folks looking for a job in life science,
you can just pick from different disciplines.
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So it's multidisciplinary, right?
It is.
It is.
And yeah, and there's opportunities at all levels.
That's what's so really exciting about this particular field is, you know, you don't have
to be you don't have to wear a white coat.
You don't have to be a scientist.
There's all kinds of ways that you can contribute to this particular field.
But you can wear a white coat if you want to.
But you can wear a white coat if you want to.
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People just want the novelty of it all, right?
You know, yeah, if you really want that white coat, yeah, that can be supplied.
I mean, it sounds like I mean, going back to the question about LA, it sounds like you're
giving Kevin Feige and the MCU run for the money, right?
Please don't come for us, MCU.
Vicki, so just so about I know you work with the BioCom Institute, BioCom California Institute.
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Can you tell us a little bit about it and about you guys and how it supports the growth
and development of the biotechnology and life sciences industry?
Yeah.
So BioCom California Institute, we're a nonprofit, a 501c3 organization, and we are really focused
on workforce development.
So we are focused on strengthening the talent pipeline.
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When we think about all the things I just mentioned about what biotech is about, all
of those things cannot be done without a really strong, talented workforce.
And so you can have the greatest idea in the world, but if you don't have the workers to
carry it out and you don't have the talent that's actually trained and skilled to be
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able to do that work, you're not going to be able to get to market.
So our work at the Institute is really focused on strengthening that talent pipeline, make
sure that we have that highly trained, competent, skilled workforce ready to tackle these important
issues.
Nice, nice.
Just going back to the initial question in your intro, the term life science.
And I mean, this whole thing is about life science and introducing people and our listeners
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to what that actually means.
With you being here trying to demystify it for folks, can you possibly just once again
define it in layman's terms for those who are listening?
Yeah, so the simple way to think about life science is it really refers to the study of
living things and how they work.
That's pretty much it.
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And examples of that are biology, medicine, genetics, ecology, all of those types of things.
So in essence, life science is about learning what makes life tick, whether it's in a cell,
an ecosystem, or the human body.
Okay, nice.
That's great.
So I'm sure that's so cutting edge and that there's so much nuance to what life science
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can do and offer to the world.
And it's so important that we're in California too.
And I was told previously that because we're in California, life sciences are the second
largest economy driver and the fifth largest economy in the world, California.
In your mind, what kind of opportunities can emerge from this economic driver and how do
folks potentially benefit from it?
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Yeah, so just to expand on what you just said, if you think about California and the sectors
that we have here, like what's driving our economy, we have wine, agriculture, TV and
film, tourism.
All of those things combined do not bring in as much money to our economy as life science.
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So all of them together.
So we are only behind tech in terms of what we contribute to the economy here.
So as you can imagine, that's a pretty big contribution and that means it's pretty widespread
on the types of opportunities and the types of work and the folks that we need to have
to be able to make those things happen.
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The way we look at life science and biotech is we have subsectors and so we kind of break
it down.
So there's pharmaceuticals.
Those are the companies that kind of create and produce medications and treat diseases.
Then there's biotechnology.
That's the business that uses biological processes and the organisms to create products such
as genetically engineered crops or innovative treatments, those types of things.
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So they're looking at a lot of different categories of things and how to do those things
better.
Then we have medical devices and diagnostics and companies design and make devices like
pacemakers and MRI machines and they make tests like blood tests and imaging to be used
to diagnose and treat.
And then also in medical devices you have some really interesting advancements for people
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who might not have like they might have experienced something like a limb removed.
And so we have devices for that now, right?
So that we're making strides in those types of things.
So there's a lot of really interesting and innovative things that we're doing in medical
devices.
And then there's healthcare services obviously, hospitals, clinics, labs, that they apply
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all of this medical and biological knowledge to treat the patients.
And then the research in academia of course.
And those are the institutions conducting the research to help us understand the biological
systems and discover new medical treatments.
So there's like a pretty wide ranging opportunities within this sector.
That's amazing.
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I mean it looks like life science and biotech it's just like you know we think of it as
a sphere, right?
But there's so many different intersecting circles around it that make up the whole puzzle,
right?
And it sounds like you guys are on the precipice of like advancing life and innovation.
And so in terms of innovation what role does that play in the biotechnology industry?
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And how are companies contributing to addressing global challenges like climate change or health
issues or even food security?
Yeah, so those are the issues that the sector tackles every single day.
They're very invested in those things.
How are we going to solve those issues?
How do we apply what we know?
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And what are some of the hypotheses to be able to move that needle along?
So there's a lot that goes on in all of those sectors.
You know some of the things that are being worked on right now is trying to understand
how we can manufacture food more effectively, more safely.
How we can be able to manufacture medicines faster, better, and how we can have medicines
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that don't necessarily for you don't necessarily experience all of the side effects because
they're more designed for how that they can interact with your body.
So all of those things and sometimes it gets a little scary for people when you start to
just think about the development of this but it's really moving the needle on making humanity
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better.
And so that's really the focus.
I've never experienced a sector before that has such mission driven and cause like there
really are focused on doing better for humanity.
That's amazing.
I think like you know the humanistic element of it all is I think at the core what is important
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right here because we're trying to make or you folks, not me but I mean you folks in
life science and biotechnology and biocom like are trying to push life forward so that
we're all working together to make something more sustainable, something more worth living
right?
And like the three terms that came to mind with what you just said was and that I imagine
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life science to be is current, relatable, and necessary right?
And I think those three things could shape the value of how we see why people should
think about going to working into life science.
Yes.
Degrees relatable to that, you know the multi-faceted degrees, right?
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And so, on the same vein as thinking about innovation, how are these different innovations
that you just mentioned reshaping the future of work, particularly in terms of job creation,
skill requirements, and even dynamics in the workplace?
Well because we're moving so quickly, right?
With technology and I think we would be remiss if we didn't mention the effect that AI is
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going to have and is having and will have.
There's a lot of discussion within this sector right now on how that we can effectively and
ethically use AI on things like drug developments and testings and what we should be doing with
that.
There's continual focus on looking forward and on how that we're going to be able to
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make these innovative leaps and how we're going to be able to use technology and other
innovations to come our way and being able to make this, to be able to get our drugs
or our devices or the healthcare system in a place that we're bringing better health
to folks than has been in the past.
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I mean like you, I'm glad you mentioned AI because AI is everywhere right?
It's just like we think about workforce development, we think about job security, we think about
all that stuff and AI is in every conversation right?
It's reaching everywhere and so I think like with that, thinking about AI, thinking about
the future of work, thinking about what lays ahead on the horizon, what kind of new opportunities
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are there then on the horizon in bio manufacturing and how can individuals seize on these projects
potential prospects?
Yeah, so with AI, I mean we have you know a few years back and this is still very relevant
is big data right?
We've got a lot of data and when you think about the amount of data that we're able to
collect from research studies, clinical trials, all types of those types of things, we need
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bioinformatics folks, we need people who are able to distill that information down into
something usable and then with AI, it's one of the most requested over the last six months
I'd say from our industry, it's one of the most requested skills that they're asking
for and you know what do you need AI for and it's like we need people to help us understand
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what AI is and how that we can be able to potentially use it.
So this is if you think about tech 30-35 years ago and there were just people who set out
to understand tech and they were very, very highly valued you know how can you make a
business run smoother, run faster, run better.
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That's where we're at with AI today but I think that this is going to be moving much
faster even in tech.
I've had a pretty long career and this is the I have never seen anything be adopted
so quickly as AI is and just with everybody, people are using AI every day more and more
so there's a lot of opportunity there so if I were to say to somebody looking to you know
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what some other classes that you should pick up or what should you start to explore and
understand I would say try to understand AI and what the implications could be in any
type of business that you're going into.
But particularly I think there's going to be some big impacts in science.
Yeah, my sister just on a side note, my sister she's a medical doctor and she's my older
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sister and so she's just saying hi but she's always like she's always telling me you have
to get a jump on AI.
You have to do this, AI is the future and she's always just like find a class, do that
because AI is everywhere you know.
Even like at Cal State Long Beach we use it almost every day right and it's like but we
also have to understand how to use it like correctly right and with some parameters and
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safeguards right but thinking about building skill sets and thinking about you know folks
wanting to get into life sciences and finding jobs within bio manufacturing and biotech
industries what are the skills and qualifications that are most in demand for these professions?
Yeah I mean so you can you know in terms of degrees right the engineering is big because
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engineering has a lot of applications across multiple sectors, the sectors that we talked
about and of course PhDs are important, and master's degrees are important but there's
a lot of certificates and other things that you can get too.
The skills that are really in demand if you're thinking from a science side molecular biology,
genetic engineering, bio manufacturers, computational biology, clinical research and trials so you
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know just being able to be a clinical research associate and that's people that are just
managing clinical trials so you can have management skills, business skills and you can be able
to manage those clinical trials, understand regulatory processes, laboratory techniques,
just being able to understand how to sell culture, how to do protein purification so
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there's some technical skills that you could almost look at as like a manufacturing skills
right advanced manufacturing and some of these things just require a certificate,
or experience so you can actually get into this especially in bio manufacturing
with a certificate program or some sort of understanding of what that you know what a
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clean room looks like, what some of the terminology, how do you kind of work with things and process
things so there's some really interesting opportunities there.
Regulatory affairs and compliance I mentioned that so it doesn't have to be that you
have a science background but having understanding how to interpret regulatory regulations, this
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is one of the most highly regulated industries in the United States so there is an incredible
amount of care that must be taken and rightly so but you have to be able, you've got to
have people that can understand that and be able to interpret that and provide safety,
supply chain is always very, very important in this industry because it's not just how
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do you effectively move this, you know move your product through the supply chain but
also how do you handle the product.
Data analysis and statistics of course are important, clinical research professionals
that's a certification and that's really about the clinical trial management, regulatory
affairs can be a certification and then there's also, it's like any other industry, you need
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finance people, you've got to have somebody that's handling the books and handling the
finances, you need marketing people that are able to explain the product that you have,
you need people who understand how communications folks to be able to do press releases and
to be able to explain to the public what's happening and then you need policy people
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who are able to explain to you know elected officials what's happening with products so
that people don't misinterpret the work that's being done because sometimes it can be highly
technical.
Yeah, I mean like I think you just painted like a really lush like landscape of like
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what like is needed within bio manufacturing and biotech and the industry right, I think
it's very wide reaching, you've cast a wide net and I think you know what it's important
for our listeners to understand like is to have that imagination to see well where does
where do I in my career and you know my skill set, where can I fit in there because you
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know it's not just I say life science, MA, PhD, science, you know you said finance, you
said engineering, you said all these different things, public relations right, like all these
different variables and all these different puzzle pieces that are needed to make the
whole picture right.
Yes.
So I think like that's what you did right there's just a beautifully articulated like
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the kind of breadth and wide reaching net that could be cast but you also something
you mentioned Vicki was opportunities but also regulations and so I'm sure like I'm
thinking about hurdles and whatnot, what are the key opportunities and challenges that
are currently facing the biotechnology and life sciences workforce?
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The biggest hurdle right now for industry from the industry side is making sure that
there are enough highly trained and competent you know workers to be able to fill the jobs.
We're expecting by 2033 that biomanufacturing is going to double across the world and that
is a significant increase as more and more biomanufacturers are needed so if you think
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about advanced manufacturing that's going to that's a skill that we need to we're starting
to build for now but that's really the most important thing and that's why we really believe
that there is a place for everybody in this industry and we believe that there's a place
for everybody who has a passion for improving the human condition.
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We believe there's a place for veterans and who they've already you know demonstrated
their commitment to mission to a mission that's larger than themselves and first generation
college graduates who've reached a significant milestone in their families educational journeys
and to support those groups we've really developed a life science career exploration fellowship.
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It's a six month program where participants are paired with high level industry mentors
and they receive a range of supporting services and networking opportunities to help them
succeed and we've had a high number of placements from that particular program.
We also believe in creating opportunities for individuals from marginalized communities
that's really important to us we've got to have we've got to be able to do better in
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the world right and so through collaboration with Glendale and FlintRidge La Cañada workforce
development board as well as the Los Angeles community colleges we and industry partners
like Griffles, Takeda and Prolacta we're offering biomanufacturing technician certificate programs
and it's a certification exam that allows people who go through the community college
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systems biomanufacturing certificate programs to sit for an exam that is industry created
to show that they have the skills and qualifications needed to take to succeed in that field and
we were super proud that after we created that program that the industry came back to
us and said hey we want to name this the Biocom Institute technician certification because
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they really you know they felt that it was such an incredible way to be able to help
those folks that might not be able to afford a four-year degree but need to get started
in a living wage job and so we're super proud of that we believe there's a place for those
folks and we believe that there's a place for people from other sectors like tech workers
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or students with some background in healthcare that might not feel like that healthcare might
be the right place for them and so they might be looking to shift their careers so we partner
with UC Cal State University Long Beach and with Fullerton in Los Angeles to offer the
applications in biomanufacturing certificate and then also with Cal State Long Beach to
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provide the biomanufacturing the foundations of biomanufacturing course so we're super
excited about that because we think that there's a place for all of those people within this
industry and we need them.
That's amazing I mean like you know so one of the things that stuck out to me was one
collaboration the idea of collaborating with different organizations with biotech
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and educational institutions academic institutions local community members right and so working
together to build people up right and something you said earlier to a place
for everybody I think that resonates right because particularly with our college the
College of Continuing Professional and Continuing Education it's about how do we advance people's
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careers how do we you know have them take a look at their lives and be like you know
if they want more they can reach for more right yes that there's no we're giving them
a seat at the table right and which previously maybe they thought they could not dream for
right and so like how giving at allowing these people to have access right and creating routes
for those so I think that's amazing I think I think then goes to this question of like
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you know how can educational institutions like you mentioned Cal State Long Beach better
prepare students for the careers in life sciences and bio manufacturing and are there unique
strategies that institutions can implement to address the talent gap in these sectors
yeah I think the thing that is if we want to really move the needle not only within
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industry to get them the workers that they need that are skilled but also to help communities
we're going to need to make sure that the curriculum that's being developed is actually
vetted by industry and that's the place that we bridge the gap on so we work with industry
we kind of represent in just in the Los Angeles area alone we have over 150 members that you
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know representing all those sectors that we discuss and so many of them are willing to
give back and they're willing to help to vet that information you know vet the curriculum
that's coming out they're willing to interview folks and then give feedback you know to the
school so I think that's one thing and then create pathways where we can have incremental
success so things like what you're doing in continuing education which is making sure
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that people can get a certificate and kind of get started and then what's great about
this industry is so many of our companies have educational you know they pay for people's
education as they come into the as they come into the field so people can get additional
education as they start to see their pathway and so having those certificates that they
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can go in get started have some experience and get into the field those are going to
be things that colleges and universities need to continue to do because we need that
we need that strong pipeline.
Nice I mean it sounds like you know there's a lot of purpose there and there's a lot
of you know assistance and aid right I think you know one of the things that as an individual
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who came from a heavy background of like doing nonprofit work and community organizing you
know as a former educator you know it sounds a lot of the work that you folks at Biocom
would do I mean in my opinion sounds like community-based pedagogy and you know access
and work right so it's amazing and I think that you know it's it's so it's just so beautiful
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and so as you know we're in 2025 and it's been a little interesting and colorful so
far but it's I would be we'd be remiss if we didn't talk about the future right and
in terms of that what do you think are the key trends impacting biomanufacturing for
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2025 and do you see these certain industries intersecting with these trends?
Well there's a couple of things and as we look at kind of the chaotic start to this
year right there's a feeling within the industry that we need to get prepared for manufacturing
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here in the United States and so I mentioned biomanufacturing is going to be doubling.
We feel like with this administration's support if we're going to continue down that path
of reshoring manufacturing here to the United States again that we really need to get prepared
for that so that we've got the workers here so that it doesn't end up being a burden on
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the industry if they want to come back here so with tariffs and you start thinking about
all of that stuff if they want to bring their business back to the United States now and
we need to prepare those workers for that so I see that as something that we have to
look at we also need to make sure that we continue to have good science and that our
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science is you know grounded in fact so that's something that industry is really keeping
their eye on and they're going to make sure that they have an ethical responsibility to
make sure that the story about the science is told and told in the appropriate way.
In terms of other types of challenges in 2025 and I don't know that this is just particularly
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in the life science field but we are certainly feeling the impact of this is because companies
aren't quite sure what's happening within administration.
So much of our research I mentioned research and academia so much of that is funded by
the federal government the research and so without knowing what's going to happen for
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sure with all of that there's a pause on hiring right now for many companies as they
try to figure out what's going to happen I don't know that that's going to last very
long but that's what we're seeing right now so I do expect employment to be impacted
here at least for the first few months for six months maybe and then we can retake a
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look at that but those are some of the issues that we're hearing from industry right now
that they're facing.
Yeah I mean yeah and it's not just your sector right I mean like a lot of different industries
and sectors are being impacted and you know putting a pause a gentle pause on like hiring
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and you know new employment but yeah so I mean like you gesture to the current administration
and given the political regulatory and environmental landscape how does BioComm and California
Institute adapt to ensure its continued success and have a pathway forward.
Yeah so I mentioned we are a nonprofit organization we are sponsored by BioComm to some degree
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and then we have grants and other things so really what the way that we're looking at
this is we're hoping that we are able to connect with workforce development boards that are
continuing to do this good work.
We look at philanthropic groups to make sure that we can have some financial sustainability
and financial security so that we can continue to do the work that we're doing and then of
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course the partnerships with industry themselves making sure that folks who come through all
of these all of these programs that we just talked about that whoever comes through those
programs that they've got a place to land so you know just making sure that we're continuing
those conversations that's really our plan right now on we're looking at finances because
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we don't know how executive orders or any of the other things are going to be impacting
us but we feel like that no matter who's the president or what administrations come in a
strong skilled workforce is what's driven America and we strongly believe in that and
we believe that our citizens should have the first right to be able to get jobs here and
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that they and that they should have living wage jobs and so we're just going to continue
that work.
Job security right?
Job security.
Job security yeah.
What you just mentioned Vicki is like I think it's something I want you to maybe touch upon
too is like you know you mentioned workforce development philanthropy and partnerships
right?
Can you just like stress how important these partnerships and these different forms of
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collaboration are to you folks?
It's everything to us honestly.
This is some of the most important work that I believe that we do making sure that we are
hearing the concerns of the industry and that we're also addressing the concerns of the
community the job seeker the student so that we can be that bridge and so that we can be
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that voice for both sides that's very very important to us is what I feel like at my
core is the work that we do and if we continue just to keep working on that I think we'll
you know we're going to we'll see this sector continue to grow and strengthen I mean we
talked about at the beginning you know second largest sector and the fifth largest economy
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this I mean that's in the world.
California is a big engine and a big driver but we don't want to see happen is we don't
want to lose that talent out of California.
I spent a little time this morning even talking with some elected officials about the importance
of workforce and how and they're all in agreement they don't want this talent to leave California
so let's make sure that we can secure the industry that we are friendly to the industry
(34:05):
that is supplying these incredible jobs.
You know the average wage for a life science job in California is about a hundred and fifty
thousand dollars a year.
So it's a great industry to be in.
Yeah you're making me want to be in life science now too.
That's my job.
Poach!
I mean so like one of the things, one of the partnerships you folks have is with, you mentioned
(34:31):
it previously with Cal State Long Beach and we have a very robust and diverse student
population you know Long Beach is a amazing city and you know we just are a part of the
greater southern California which is dynamic and beautiful and resilient.
So one of the tenants in the College of Professional and Continuing Education or in you know College
(34:56):
Extension University Extension is the idea of lifelong learning and so how does lifelong
learning support in this industry?
Well as you can imagine this industry is changing all the time.
Yeah.
We're always learning something new.
There's always new applications to apply new ways to think about things.
So lifelong learning is really embedded into the core of this industry and that's why the
(35:19):
industry and most companies support education continuing education through stipends for
you know for their employees is because this is not a one and done sort of an industry.
It's all we are always having to learn new things.
You're always having to adapt and grow.
So if you like that kind of environment this is an environment for you if you want to just
(35:45):
have a job where you're it's pretty much stable you know stays the same.
This is not going to be the it's not going to be the place for you.
So our industry partners and our companies are always looking for people who have that
mindset of always learning always growing and coming back to them and saying hey I found
(36:07):
this great course I want to do this I want to do something else.
And so that's why we love the partnership with Cal State Long Beach and especially with
continuing education is because you're you understand that and you understand how to
make it easy for students to come in get the skills that they need right now so that they
can go on and apply those immediately to the to the to their jobs.
(36:27):
Yeah I mean I think that it's it resonates what you just said resonates with the previous
interviews we've had on the podcast Dr. Tom O'Brien and Dr. Noel Hacegaba who like
we're talking about you know the importance of the person and the importance of the person
moving forward with these companies and with like different career paths right.
(36:48):
You previously mentioned at the beginning of this interview that there's a place for
everybody and so it isn't like one size fits all.
It's like you know everyone is welcome to come right.
And one thing that we had talked about in previous interviews and podcasts is just like
it's never too late to reimagine your life.
You don't have to be pigeonholed and stuck somewhere.
(37:11):
If you want to dream you dream big.
Yes.
And you're able to go reach beyond the boundaries of what life has given you right.
And so I think that with like nonprofits and organizations like BioCom Institute California
and Cal State Long Beach College of Professional and Continuing Education we try to facilitate
that right.
And from whatever you've just mentioned Vicki like I think you're testing you and your organization
(37:34):
as a testament to that right.
That to reach beyond the boundaries to reach beyond what limitations have been placed on
you right.
Possibility.
I think that's a key word there.
Now I think you're you're absolutely right.
And that's why we feel that there's a place for everybody and you don't have to feel that
way and you don't have to feel like that you have to be a math whiz or you've got to be
really good at science.
(37:55):
There's a place for you and you can find that in this in the sector and with a little bit
but just like the certificate program that's offered here you know with that with that
certificate in hand you can go out and you can find a place.
So it's not as scary as you think it is.
And we have a life science workforce symposium that I'll just plug here for a moment.
(38:19):
It's free.
It's we have it across the three major regions.
So there's really three hubs within California for life science and that San Diego, Los Angeles,
and the Bay Area.
And so we host this life science workforce symposium every year.
It's going to be in August this year and we provide information all day long about
(38:41):
different career options that you can have.
It's free to anybody who wants to come to it.
It's free to the community.
And this is a place where our industry colleagues come in and they talk about their own career
journey and how that they how they didn't start here.
You know they didn't they didn't a lot of them didn't come from academia or with Ph.D.
They came from a different place and they had this career pathway that led them to this
(39:05):
place.
And so hearing from them hearing from folks that started out with a high school diploma
and then went on and got an undergrad degree and then went and did amazing things in this
industry you're going to hear all of those things.
So you know if you're interested in like learning more about what those opportunities
are available to you and then you can go back and you can see well what are the gaps that
(39:27):
I need to fill.
And I know that Cal State Long Beach has a number of programs that can fill some of those
gaps as people identify them.
Of course.
Yeah.
It's like lead by example and it's great that you have folks come and talk to individuals
very interested in the industry.
So I'm just curious just quickly is do you offer mentorships or any of that.
(39:48):
Yeah.
So the program that I mentioned to you about the veterans and the first generation college
graduates there are life science career exploration fellowship.
That's a mentorship program.
OK.
So they get a one on one mentor.
That's a person.
We have people who are at the manager level or above that are mentors for those fellows
(40:08):
and the entire premise of our fellowship program is to introduce and expand their networks.
We know that about 60 percent of first-generation college graduates don't actually get a job
in the field where they got their degree.
And so we want to change that in life science and in any of the any other degree program
(40:30):
that you had.
So we have mentors who come from all kinds of backgrounds.
So we right now we our fellowship program started in January goes through June
and we have folks that are looking at jobs in finance or people that are looking for
jobs in facilities management supply chain other things not just science.
(40:52):
So that program also provides them with a number of networking opportunities where
they can meet other industry folks and that they can expand their network.
So we see people coming into that program might have one or two connections within it
when they when they finish the six month they've got over 20 connections within that.
And that's all free.
(41:12):
That's free to the free to the fellows and it's all volunteered by the industry.
That's amazing.
I mean paying it forward right.
Exactly.
So just one last question for you Vicki.
I mean just so we end since we're in a university and we're focusing on students career paths
what advice would you give new students who want to grow and further skills to meet the
(41:34):
demands of this industry.
Just continue to be curious and don't don't think that you've got to go down the pathway
of science to do it.
Although we need scientists, and we need engineers.
But if you if this sounds like an industry that you know with this higher calling and
(41:55):
it you know you want to you're really looking for something to do that where you can give
back to humanity and sort of you know make the world a little bit better place.
Start to explore those opportunities.
Take one of the certificate programs to get like an intro to biotech and what it means
and try to understand the terminology.
Look around for different opportunities to be able to visit and take tours.
(42:19):
We offer tours to local industry companies.
And so there's a lot of opportunities to be able to do things like that.
So I would just say continue to be curious about this particular field and don't think
that you have to have a certain pathway to get to it.
Yeah basically what we said in the beginning of the intro being inquisitive right.
(42:39):
Yes.
Inquisitive like keep searching keep pacing right.
Thank you Vicki for joining us and you know with all the great insight into the great
conversation we really appreciate you being here with us.
Thank you so much it was my pleasure.
Thank you for tuning in to pacing your future.
We hope today's installment has inspired you and provided valuable insights into the
dynamic world of industry and innovation.
(43:01):
Stay tuned with us for more stories opportunities and expert advice to help you navigate and
shape your future.
Until next time keep pacing your future with confidence and curiosity.
Hey, what's going on everybody from the College of Professional and Continuing Education at
(00:17):
Cal State Long Beach.
I'm Dr. Pahole Sookkasikon with Pacing Your Future, a podcast that charts the course of
today's most exciting industries and the people that help shape them.
Discover the many opportunities within the numerous fields we cover and be inspired by
the stories of notable individuals who have paved their own paths.
And just like our name suggests, our mission is to pace ahead, be proactive, adaptable,
(00:42):
creative and engaged.
Whether you're seeking career insights, industry trends or are just simply inquisitive, let's
pace your future together.
And today we're joined by Vicki Brannock.
Vicki leverages her 20 years of experience in higher education program development, workforce
development and digital marketing strategy to grow the talent pool in California's life
(01:02):
science industry.
As a key figure at Biocom Institute California, she ensures first-to-market access to top
talent through programs and strategic partnerships in education and industry.
Previously, she held senior roles at Brandman University and the San Diego Workforce Partnership,
building deep relationships with workforce development boards and educational institutions
(01:24):
across California.
Vicki also writes and consults on the future of work, organizational structure, change
management and program design.
Vicki, welcome to the show.
Thank you so much for having me.
Just to start off with something fun, we like to ask fun questions for all our guests.
(01:44):
So imagine your industry is the main character in a blockbuster movie, because Los Angeles,
right?
What's the plot and who are its main characters?
That's a great question and I don't have to look far to find an answer for that one, because
it's more about a franchise rather than an actual movie.
And I really, when I think about life science, I think about Star Trek.
(02:06):
There's just so much to compare with this industry and what they do in that particular
show and of course all the movies.
One of the things that is really cool is the exploration of the unknown.
And life science field is all about pushing boundaries of knowledge, particularly in areas
like genomics, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
(02:28):
Researchers and scientists are constantly trying to explore the unknown, whether it's
decoding the human genome, whether it's developing new treatments or discovering novel diseases.
There's also a lot of problem solving through technology and life sciences often rely on
cutting edge technology such as CRISPR gene editing, artificial intelligence, robotic
(02:50):
surgeries, innovations and technology drives progress and understanding complex biological
systems and finding solutions to health challenges.
There's the collaboration and diversity of expertise.
So the field is highly interdisciplinary.
So biologists, chemists, engineers, clinicians, data scientists all work together to solve
(03:13):
really complex health issues and collaboration and diverse expertise are really essential
for breakthrough drugs and development and diagnostics and treatment.
And then there's the people that actually have to do the manufacturing and those are
people at all levels.
So there is a ton of interesting things.
(03:33):
One thing is that there's the ethical dilemmas too.
And so life science often grapples with ethical considerations such as the implications of
gene editing, use of stem cells, access to life saving treatments.
And the industry really has to navigate that balance between scientific progress and the
ethical responsibility and how to use that knowledge effectively and ethically.
(03:58):
Discovery of new life, that's really an interesting piece when you stop and think about it because
much like Star Trek, right?
The encounters with alien life forms, life scientists are constantly discovering new
species, bacteria, viruses.
They often uncover surprising new biological organisms or systems that expand our understanding
(04:18):
of life on earth or even beyond.
And they kind of like the search for extraterrestrial life.
And then of course, health and disease.
You know, when you think about much of the scientific industry is really concerned with
improving human health and curing diseases, prolonging life, whether it's through vaccines,
cancer treatments or regenerative medicine, the goal is really to protect and enhance
(04:43):
human life.
And then one other one that I can think of is life science industry is about looking
toward the future.
And it's all about evolving and innovating to address challenges in health, to sustainability
and biotechnologies.
And the next big discovery or invention is always on the horizon.
So wow.
(05:03):
I mean, that's beautiful because it's like the explorative nature of life sciences
like boundless, right?
And it's just the way it can reach into so many different fields, so many different,
you know, avenues and pathways that I'm sure the folks looking for a job in life science,
you can just pick from different disciplines.
(05:27):
So it's multidisciplinary, right?
It is.
It is.
And yeah, and there's opportunities at all levels.
That's what's so really exciting about this particular field is, you know, you don't have
to be you don't have to wear a white coat.
You don't have to be a scientist.
There's all kinds of ways that you can contribute to this particular field.
But you can wear a white coat if you want to.
But you can wear a white coat if you want to.
(05:47):
People just want the novelty of it all, right?
You know, yeah, if you really want that white coat, yeah, that can be supplied.
I mean, it sounds like I mean, going back to the question about LA, it sounds like you're
giving Kevin Feige and the MCU run for the money, right?
Please don't come for us, MCU.
Vicki, so just so about I know you work with the BioCom Institute, BioCom California Institute.
(06:09):
Can you tell us a little bit about it and about you guys and how it supports the growth
and development of the biotechnology and life sciences industry?
Yeah.
So BioCom California Institute, we're a nonprofit, a 501c3 organization, and we are really focused
on workforce development.
So we are focused on strengthening the talent pipeline.
(06:30):
When we think about all the things I just mentioned about what biotech is about, all
of those things cannot be done without a really strong, talented workforce.
And so you can have the greatest idea in the world, but if you don't have the workers to
carry it out and you don't have the talent that's actually trained and skilled to be
(06:51):
able to do that work, you're not going to be able to get to market.
So our work at the Institute is really focused on strengthening that talent pipeline, make
sure that we have that highly trained, competent, skilled workforce ready to tackle these important
issues.
Nice, nice.
Just going back to the initial question in your intro, the term life science.
And I mean, this whole thing is about life science and introducing people and our listeners
(07:14):
to what that actually means.
With you being here trying to demystify it for folks, can you possibly just once again
define it in layman's terms for those who are listening?
Yeah, so the simple way to think about life science is it really refers to the study of
living things and how they work.
That's pretty much it.
(07:34):
And examples of that are biology, medicine, genetics, ecology, all of those types of things.
So in essence, life science is about learning what makes life tick, whether it's in a cell,
an ecosystem, or the human body.
Okay, nice.
That's great.
So I'm sure that's so cutting edge and that there's so much nuance to what life science
(07:56):
can do and offer to the world.
And it's so important that we're in California too.
And I was told previously that because we're in California, life sciences are the second
largest economy driver and the fifth largest economy in the world, California.
In your mind, what kind of opportunities can emerge from this economic driver and how do
folks potentially benefit from it?
(08:18):
Yeah, so just to expand on what you just said, if you think about California and the sectors
that we have here, like what's driving our economy, we have wine, agriculture, TV and
film, tourism.
All of those things combined do not bring in as much money to our economy as life science.
(08:41):
So all of them together.
So we are only behind tech in terms of what we contribute to the economy here.
So as you can imagine, that's a pretty big contribution and that means it's pretty widespread
on the types of opportunities and the types of work and the folks that we need to have
to be able to make those things happen.
(09:01):
The way we look at life science and biotech is we have subsectors and so we kind of break
it down.
So there's pharmaceuticals.
Those are the companies that kind of create and produce medications and treat diseases.
Then there's biotechnology.
That's the business that uses biological processes and the organisms to create products such
as genetically engineered crops or innovative treatments, those types of things.
(09:24):
So they're looking at a lot of different categories of things and how to do those things
better.
Then we have medical devices and diagnostics and companies design and make devices like
pacemakers and MRI machines and they make tests like blood tests and imaging to be used
to diagnose and treat.
And then also in medical devices you have some really interesting advancements for people
(09:50):
who might not have like they might have experienced something like a limb removed.
And so we have devices for that now, right?
So that we're making strides in those types of things.
So there's a lot of really interesting and innovative things that we're doing in medical
devices.
And then there's healthcare services obviously, hospitals, clinics, labs, that they apply
(10:13):
all of this medical and biological knowledge to treat the patients.
And then the research in academia of course.
And those are the institutions conducting the research to help us understand the biological
systems and discover new medical treatments.
So there's like a pretty wide ranging opportunities within this sector.
That's amazing.
(10:33):
I mean it looks like life science and biotech it's just like you know we think of it as
a sphere, right?
But there's so many different intersecting circles around it that make up the whole puzzle,
right?
And it sounds like you guys are on the precipice of like advancing life and innovation.
And so in terms of innovation what role does that play in the biotechnology industry?
(10:57):
And how are companies contributing to addressing global challenges like climate change or health
issues or even food security?
Yeah, so those are the issues that the sector tackles every single day.
They're very invested in those things.
How are we going to solve those issues?
How do we apply what we know?
(11:18):
And what are some of the hypotheses to be able to move that needle along?
So there's a lot that goes on in all of those sectors.
You know some of the things that are being worked on right now is trying to understand
how we can manufacture food more effectively, more safely.
How we can be able to manufacture medicines faster, better, and how we can have medicines
(11:44):
that don't necessarily for you don't necessarily experience all of the side effects because
they're more designed for how that they can interact with your body.
So all of those things and sometimes it gets a little scary for people when you start to
just think about the development of this but it's really moving the needle on making humanity
(12:05):
better.
And so that's really the focus.
I've never experienced a sector before that has such mission driven and cause like there
really are focused on doing better for humanity.
That's amazing.
I think like you know the humanistic element of it all is I think at the core what is important
(12:26):
right here because we're trying to make or you folks, not me but I mean you folks in
life science and biotechnology and biocom like are trying to push life forward so that
we're all working together to make something more sustainable, something more worth living
right?
And like the three terms that came to mind with what you just said was and that I imagine
(12:48):
life science to be is current, relatable, and necessary right?
And I think those three things could shape the value of how we see why people should
think about going to working into life science.
Yes.
Degrees relatable to that, you know the multi-faceted degrees, right?
(13:08):
And so, on the same vein as thinking about innovation, how are these different innovations
that you just mentioned reshaping the future of work, particularly in terms of job creation,
skill requirements, and even dynamics in the workplace?
Well because we're moving so quickly, right?
With technology and I think we would be remiss if we didn't mention the effect that AI is
(13:31):
going to have and is having and will have.
There's a lot of discussion within this sector right now on how that we can effectively and
ethically use AI on things like drug developments and testings and what we should be doing with
that.
There's continual focus on looking forward and on how that we're going to be able to
(13:54):
make these innovative leaps and how we're going to be able to use technology and other
innovations to come our way and being able to make this, to be able to get our drugs
or our devices or the healthcare system in a place that we're bringing better health
to folks than has been in the past.
(14:16):
I mean like you, I'm glad you mentioned AI because AI is everywhere right?
It's just like we think about workforce development, we think about job security, we think about
all that stuff and AI is in every conversation right?
It's reaching everywhere and so I think like with that, thinking about AI, thinking about
the future of work, thinking about what lays ahead on the horizon, what kind of new opportunities
(14:41):
are there then on the horizon in bio manufacturing and how can individuals seize on these projects
potential prospects?
Yeah, so with AI, I mean we have you know a few years back and this is still very relevant
is big data right?
We've got a lot of data and when you think about the amount of data that we're able to
collect from research studies, clinical trials, all types of those types of things, we need
(15:04):
bioinformatics folks, we need people who are able to distill that information down into
something usable and then with AI, it's one of the most requested over the last six months
I'd say from our industry, it's one of the most requested skills that they're asking
for and you know what do you need AI for and it's like we need people to help us understand
(15:25):
what AI is and how that we can be able to potentially use it.
So this is if you think about tech 30-35 years ago and there were just people who set out
to understand tech and they were very, very highly valued you know how can you make a
business run smoother, run faster, run better.
(15:45):
That's where we're at with AI today but I think that this is going to be moving much
faster even in tech.
I've had a pretty long career and this is the I have never seen anything be adopted
so quickly as AI is and just with everybody, people are using AI every day more and more
so there's a lot of opportunity there so if I were to say to somebody looking to you know
(16:07):
what some other classes that you should pick up or what should you start to explore and
understand I would say try to understand AI and what the implications could be in any
type of business that you're going into.
But particularly I think there's going to be some big impacts in science.
Yeah, my sister just on a side note, my sister she's a medical doctor and she's my older
(16:31):
sister and so she's just saying hi but she's always like she's always telling me you have
to get a jump on AI.
You have to do this, AI is the future and she's always just like find a class, do that
because AI is everywhere you know.
Even like at Cal State Long Beach we use it almost every day right and it's like but we
also have to understand how to use it like correctly right and with some parameters and
(16:56):
safeguards right but thinking about building skill sets and thinking about you know folks
wanting to get into life sciences and finding jobs within bio manufacturing and biotech
industries what are the skills and qualifications that are most in demand for these professions?
Yeah I mean so you can you know in terms of degrees right the engineering is big because
(17:17):
engineering has a lot of applications across multiple sectors, the sectors that we talked
about and of course PhDs are important, and master's degrees are important but there's
a lot of certificates and other things that you can get too.
The skills that are really in demand if you're thinking from a science side molecular biology,
genetic engineering, bio manufacturers, computational biology, clinical research and trials so you
(17:42):
know just being able to be a clinical research associate and that's people that are just
managing clinical trials so you can have management skills, business skills and you can be able
to manage those clinical trials, understand regulatory processes, laboratory techniques,
just being able to understand how to sell culture, how to do protein purification so
(18:03):
there's some technical skills that you could almost look at as like a manufacturing skills
right advanced manufacturing and some of these things just require a certificate,
or experience so you can actually get into this especially in bio manufacturing
with a certificate program or some sort of understanding of what that you know what a
(18:27):
clean room looks like, what some of the terminology, how do you kind of work with things and process
things so there's some really interesting opportunities there.
Regulatory affairs and compliance I mentioned that so it doesn't have to be that you
have a science background but having understanding how to interpret regulatory regulations, this
(18:51):
is one of the most highly regulated industries in the United States so there is an incredible
amount of care that must be taken and rightly so but you have to be able, you've got to
have people that can understand that and be able to interpret that and provide safety,
supply chain is always very, very important in this industry because it's not just how
(19:15):
do you effectively move this, you know move your product through the supply chain but
also how do you handle the product.
Data analysis and statistics of course are important, clinical research professionals
that's a certification and that's really about the clinical trial management, regulatory
affairs can be a certification and then there's also, it's like any other industry, you need
(19:40):
finance people, you've got to have somebody that's handling the books and handling the
finances, you need marketing people that are able to explain the product that you have,
you need people who understand how communications folks to be able to do press releases and
to be able to explain to the public what's happening and then you need policy people
(20:00):
who are able to explain to you know elected officials what's happening with products so
that people don't misinterpret the work that's being done because sometimes it can be highly
technical.
Yeah, I mean like I think you just painted like a really lush like landscape of like
(20:20):
what like is needed within bio manufacturing and biotech and the industry right, I think
it's very wide reaching, you've cast a wide net and I think you know what it's important
for our listeners to understand like is to have that imagination to see well where does
where do I in my career and you know my skill set, where can I fit in there because you
(20:41):
know it's not just I say life science, MA, PhD, science, you know you said finance, you
said engineering, you said all these different things, public relations right, like all these
different variables and all these different puzzle pieces that are needed to make the
whole picture right.
Yes.
So I think like that's what you did right there's just a beautifully articulated like
(21:03):
the kind of breadth and wide reaching net that could be cast but you also something
you mentioned Vicki was opportunities but also regulations and so I'm sure like I'm
thinking about hurdles and whatnot, what are the key opportunities and challenges that
are currently facing the biotechnology and life sciences workforce?
(21:27):
The biggest hurdle right now for industry from the industry side is making sure that
there are enough highly trained and competent you know workers to be able to fill the jobs.
We're expecting by 2033 that biomanufacturing is going to double across the world and that
is a significant increase as more and more biomanufacturers are needed so if you think
(21:52):
about advanced manufacturing that's going to that's a skill that we need to we're starting
to build for now but that's really the most important thing and that's why we really believe
that there is a place for everybody in this industry and we believe that there's a place
for everybody who has a passion for improving the human condition.
(22:12):
We believe there's a place for veterans and who they've already you know demonstrated
their commitment to mission to a mission that's larger than themselves and first generation
college graduates who've reached a significant milestone in their families educational journeys
and to support those groups we've really developed a life science career exploration fellowship.
(22:32):
It's a six month program where participants are paired with high level industry mentors
and they receive a range of supporting services and networking opportunities to help them
succeed and we've had a high number of placements from that particular program.
We also believe in creating opportunities for individuals from marginalized communities
that's really important to us we've got to have we've got to be able to do better in
(22:57):
the world right and so through collaboration with Glendale and FlintRidge La Cañada workforce
development board as well as the Los Angeles community colleges we and industry partners
like Griffles, Takeda and Prolacta we're offering biomanufacturing technician certificate programs
and it's a certification exam that allows people who go through the community college
(23:19):
systems biomanufacturing certificate programs to sit for an exam that is industry created
to show that they have the skills and qualifications needed to take to succeed in that field and
we were super proud that after we created that program that the industry came back to
us and said hey we want to name this the Biocom Institute technician certification because
(23:43):
they really you know they felt that it was such an incredible way to be able to help
those folks that might not be able to afford a four-year degree but need to get started
in a living wage job and so we're super proud of that we believe there's a place for those
folks and we believe that there's a place for people from other sectors like tech workers
(24:04):
or students with some background in healthcare that might not feel like that healthcare might
be the right place for them and so they might be looking to shift their careers so we partner
with UC Cal State University Long Beach and with Fullerton in Los Angeles to offer the
applications in biomanufacturing certificate and then also with Cal State Long Beach to
(24:24):
provide the biomanufacturing the foundations of biomanufacturing course so we're super
excited about that because we think that there's a place for all of those people within this
industry and we need them.
That's amazing I mean like you know so one of the things that stuck out to me was one
collaboration the idea of collaborating with different organizations with biotech
(24:44):
and educational institutions academic institutions local community members right and so working
together to build people up right and something you said earlier to a place
for everybody I think that resonates right because particularly with our college the
College of Continuing Professional and Continuing Education it's about how do we advance people's
(25:05):
careers how do we you know have them take a look at their lives and be like you know
if they want more they can reach for more right yes that there's no we're giving them
a seat at the table right and which previously maybe they thought they could not dream for
right and so like how giving at allowing these people to have access right and creating routes
for those so I think that's amazing I think I think then goes to this question of like
(25:30):
you know how can educational institutions like you mentioned Cal State Long Beach better
prepare students for the careers in life sciences and bio manufacturing and are there unique
strategies that institutions can implement to address the talent gap in these sectors
yeah I think the thing that is if we want to really move the needle not only within
(25:52):
industry to get them the workers that they need that are skilled but also to help communities
we're going to need to make sure that the curriculum that's being developed is actually
vetted by industry and that's the place that we bridge the gap on so we work with industry
we kind of represent in just in the Los Angeles area alone we have over 150 members that you
(26:19):
know representing all those sectors that we discuss and so many of them are willing to
give back and they're willing to help to vet that information you know vet the curriculum
that's coming out they're willing to interview folks and then give feedback you know to the
school so I think that's one thing and then create pathways where we can have incremental
success so things like what you're doing in continuing education which is making sure
(26:44):
that people can get a certificate and kind of get started and then what's great about
this industry is so many of our companies have educational you know they pay for people's
education as they come into the as they come into the field so people can get additional
education as they start to see their pathway and so having those certificates that they
(27:04):
can go in get started have some experience and get into the field those are going to
be things that colleges and universities need to continue to do because we need that
we need that strong pipeline.
Nice I mean it sounds like you know there's a lot of purpose there and there's a lot
of you know assistance and aid right I think you know one of the things that as an individual
(27:25):
who came from a heavy background of like doing nonprofit work and community organizing you
know as a former educator you know it sounds a lot of the work that you folks at Biocom
would do I mean in my opinion sounds like community-based pedagogy and you know access
and work right so it's amazing and I think that you know it's it's so it's just so beautiful
(27:50):
and so as you know we're in 2025 and it's been a little interesting and colorful so
far but it's I would be we'd be remiss if we didn't talk about the future right and
in terms of that what do you think are the key trends impacting biomanufacturing for
(28:10):
2025 and do you see these certain industries intersecting with these trends?
Well there's a couple of things and as we look at kind of the chaotic start to this
year right there's a feeling within the industry that we need to get prepared for manufacturing
(28:32):
here in the United States and so I mentioned biomanufacturing is going to be doubling.
We feel like with this administration's support if we're going to continue down that path
of reshoring manufacturing here to the United States again that we really need to get prepared
for that so that we've got the workers here so that it doesn't end up being a burden on
(28:53):
the industry if they want to come back here so with tariffs and you start thinking about
all of that stuff if they want to bring their business back to the United States now and
we need to prepare those workers for that so I see that as something that we have to
look at we also need to make sure that we continue to have good science and that our
(29:14):
science is you know grounded in fact so that's something that industry is really keeping
their eye on and they're going to make sure that they have an ethical responsibility to
make sure that the story about the science is told and told in the appropriate way.
In terms of other types of challenges in 2025 and I don't know that this is just particularly
(29:43):
in the life science field but we are certainly feeling the impact of this is because companies
aren't quite sure what's happening within administration.
So much of our research I mentioned research and academia so much of that is funded by
the federal government the research and so without knowing what's going to happen for
(30:05):
sure with all of that there's a pause on hiring right now for many companies as they
try to figure out what's going to happen I don't know that that's going to last very
long but that's what we're seeing right now so I do expect employment to be impacted
here at least for the first few months for six months maybe and then we can retake a
(30:28):
look at that but those are some of the issues that we're hearing from industry right now
that they're facing.
Yeah I mean yeah and it's not just your sector right I mean like a lot of different industries
and sectors are being impacted and you know putting a pause a gentle pause on like hiring
(30:48):
and you know new employment but yeah so I mean like you gesture to the current administration
and given the political regulatory and environmental landscape how does BioComm and California
Institute adapt to ensure its continued success and have a pathway forward.
Yeah so I mentioned we are a nonprofit organization we are sponsored by BioComm to some degree
(31:15):
and then we have grants and other things so really what the way that we're looking at
this is we're hoping that we are able to connect with workforce development boards that are
continuing to do this good work.
We look at philanthropic groups to make sure that we can have some financial sustainability
and financial security so that we can continue to do the work that we're doing and then of
(31:39):
course the partnerships with industry themselves making sure that folks who come through all
of these all of these programs that we just talked about that whoever comes through those
programs that they've got a place to land so you know just making sure that we're continuing
those conversations that's really our plan right now on we're looking at finances because
(32:02):
we don't know how executive orders or any of the other things are going to be impacting
us but we feel like that no matter who's the president or what administrations come in a
strong skilled workforce is what's driven America and we strongly believe in that and
we believe that our citizens should have the first right to be able to get jobs here and
(32:25):
that they and that they should have living wage jobs and so we're just going to continue
that work.
Job security right?
Job security.
Job security yeah.
What you just mentioned Vicki is like I think it's something I want you to maybe touch upon
too is like you know you mentioned workforce development philanthropy and partnerships
right?
Can you just like stress how important these partnerships and these different forms of
(32:51):
collaboration are to you folks?
It's everything to us honestly.
This is some of the most important work that I believe that we do making sure that we are
hearing the concerns of the industry and that we're also addressing the concerns of the
community the job seeker the student so that we can be that bridge and so that we can be
(33:14):
that voice for both sides that's very very important to us is what I feel like at my
core is the work that we do and if we continue just to keep working on that I think we'll
you know we're going to we'll see this sector continue to grow and strengthen I mean we
talked about at the beginning you know second largest sector and the fifth largest economy
(33:37):
this I mean that's in the world.
California is a big engine and a big driver but we don't want to see happen is we don't
want to lose that talent out of California.
I spent a little time this morning even talking with some elected officials about the importance
of workforce and how and they're all in agreement they don't want this talent to leave California
so let's make sure that we can secure the industry that we are friendly to the industry
(34:05):
that is supplying these incredible jobs.
You know the average wage for a life science job in California is about a hundred and fifty
thousand dollars a year.
So it's a great industry to be in.
Yeah you're making me want to be in life science now too.
That's my job.
Poach!
I mean so like one of the things, one of the partnerships you folks have is with, you mentioned
(34:31):
it previously with Cal State Long Beach and we have a very robust and diverse student
population you know Long Beach is a amazing city and you know we just are a part of the
greater southern California which is dynamic and beautiful and resilient.
So one of the tenants in the College of Professional and Continuing Education or in you know College
(34:56):
Extension University Extension is the idea of lifelong learning and so how does lifelong
learning support in this industry?
Well as you can imagine this industry is changing all the time.
Yeah.
We're always learning something new.
There's always new applications to apply new ways to think about things.
So lifelong learning is really embedded into the core of this industry and that's why the
(35:19):
industry and most companies support education continuing education through stipends for
you know for their employees is because this is not a one and done sort of an industry.
It's all we are always having to learn new things.
You're always having to adapt and grow.
So if you like that kind of environment this is an environment for you if you want to just
(35:45):
have a job where you're it's pretty much stable you know stays the same.
This is not going to be the it's not going to be the place for you.
So our industry partners and our companies are always looking for people who have that
mindset of always learning always growing and coming back to them and saying hey I found
(36:07):
this great course I want to do this I want to do something else.
And so that's why we love the partnership with Cal State Long Beach and especially with
continuing education is because you're you understand that and you understand how to
make it easy for students to come in get the skills that they need right now so that they
can go on and apply those immediately to the to the to their jobs.
(36:27):
Yeah I mean I think that it's it resonates what you just said resonates with the previous
interviews we've had on the podcast Dr. Tom O'Brien and Dr. Noel Hacegaba who like
we're talking about you know the importance of the person and the importance of the person
moving forward with these companies and with like different career paths right.
(36:48):
You previously mentioned at the beginning of this interview that there's a place for
everybody and so it isn't like one size fits all.
It's like you know everyone is welcome to come right.
And one thing that we had talked about in previous interviews and podcasts is just like
it's never too late to reimagine your life.
You don't have to be pigeonholed and stuck somewhere.
(37:11):
If you want to dream you dream big.
Yes.
And you're able to go reach beyond the boundaries of what life has given you right.
And so I think that with like nonprofits and organizations like BioCom Institute California
and Cal State Long Beach College of Professional and Continuing Education we try to facilitate
that right.
And from whatever you've just mentioned Vicki like I think you're testing you and your organization
(37:34):
as a testament to that right.
That to reach beyond the boundaries to reach beyond what limitations have been placed on
you right.
Possibility.
I think that's a key word there.
Now I think you're you're absolutely right.
And that's why we feel that there's a place for everybody and you don't have to feel that
way and you don't have to feel like that you have to be a math whiz or you've got to be
really good at science.
(37:55):
There's a place for you and you can find that in this in the sector and with a little bit
but just like the certificate program that's offered here you know with that with that
certificate in hand you can go out and you can find a place.
So it's not as scary as you think it is.
And we have a life science workforce symposium that I'll just plug here for a moment.
(38:19):
It's free.
It's we have it across the three major regions.
So there's really three hubs within California for life science and that San Diego, Los Angeles,
and the Bay Area.
And so we host this life science workforce symposium every year.
It's going to be in August this year and we provide information all day long about
(38:41):
different career options that you can have.
It's free to anybody who wants to come to it.
It's free to the community.
And this is a place where our industry colleagues come in and they talk about their own career
journey and how that they how they didn't start here.
You know they didn't they didn't a lot of them didn't come from academia or with Ph.D.
They came from a different place and they had this career pathway that led them to this
(39:05):
place.
And so hearing from them hearing from folks that started out with a high school diploma
and then went on and got an undergrad degree and then went and did amazing things in this
industry you're going to hear all of those things.
So you know if you're interested in like learning more about what those opportunities
are available to you and then you can go back and you can see well what are the gaps that
(39:27):
I need to fill.
And I know that Cal State Long Beach has a number of programs that can fill some of those
gaps as people identify them.
Of course.
Yeah.
It's like lead by example and it's great that you have folks come and talk to individuals
very interested in the industry.
So I'm just curious just quickly is do you offer mentorships or any of that.
(39:48):
Yeah.
So the program that I mentioned to you about the veterans and the first generation college
graduates there are life science career exploration fellowship.
That's a mentorship program.
OK.
So they get a one on one mentor.
That's a person.
We have people who are at the manager level or above that are mentors for those fellows
(40:08):
and the entire premise of our fellowship program is to introduce and expand their networks.
We know that about 60 percent of first-generation college graduates don't actually get a job
in the field where they got their degree.
And so we want to change that in life science and in any of the any other degree program
(40:30):
that you had.
So we have mentors who come from all kinds of backgrounds.
So we right now we our fellowship program started in January goes through June
and we have folks that are looking at jobs in finance or people that are looking for
jobs in facilities management supply chain other things not just science.
(40:52):
So that program also provides them with a number of networking opportunities where
they can meet other industry folks and that they can expand their network.
So we see people coming into that program might have one or two connections within it
when they when they finish the six month they've got over 20 connections within that.
And that's all free.
(41:12):
That's free to the free to the fellows and it's all volunteered by the industry.
That's amazing.
I mean paying it forward right.
Exactly.
So just one last question for you Vicki.
I mean just so we end since we're in a university and we're focusing on students career paths
what advice would you give new students who want to grow and further skills to meet the
(41:34):
demands of this industry.
Just continue to be curious and don't don't think that you've got to go down the pathway
of science to do it.
Although we need scientists, and we need engineers.
But if you if this sounds like an industry that you know with this higher calling and
(41:55):
it you know you want to you're really looking for something to do that where you can give
back to humanity and sort of you know make the world a little bit better place.
Start to explore those opportunities.
Take one of the certificate programs to get like an intro to biotech and what it means
and try to understand the terminology.
Look around for different opportunities to be able to visit and take tours.
(42:19):
We offer tours to local industry companies.
And so there's a lot of opportunities to be able to do things like that.
So I would just say continue to be curious about this particular field and don't think
that you have to have a certain pathway to get to it.
Yeah basically what we said in the beginning of the intro being inquisitive right.
(42:39):
Yes.
Inquisitive like keep searching keep pacing right.
Thank you Vicki for joining us and you know with all the great insight into the great
conversation we really appreciate you being here with us.
Thank you so much it was my pleasure.
Thank you for tuning in to pacing your future.
We hope today's installment has inspired you and provided valuable insights into the
dynamic world of industry and innovation.
(43:01):
Stay tuned with us for more stories opportunities and expert advice to help you navigate and
shape your future.
Until next time keep pacing your future with confidence and curiosity.
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