Pasadena Forges Career Pipeline for Biotech Students Through ‘Comunidad’ Initiative

The City of Pasadena is supporting an innovative program called “Comunidad” to bridge the gap between local community college students and the booming biotech industry. 

The initiative, set to be discussed at Tuesday’s Economic Development and Technology (EDTech) Committee meeting, aims to create a direct pipeline from academic training to career opportunities. 

Comunidad will partner with biotech companies in Pasadena with programs like Pasadena City College’s Keck Biotech Program and Glendale Community College’s biotech programs. 

“The City is playing matchmaker between biotech companies, city colleges, and eager students,” reads a draft presentation. “It’s like eHarmony for careers – but instead of swipes, it’s interviews guaranteed!”

According to the presentation, a key problem is the disconnect between local community college students and the biotech industry “due to the lack of a functional pipeline” between the two. The proposed solution involves identifying participating schools and companies, negotiating guaranteed interview spots for qualified graduates, and aggressive marketing.

PCC’s Keck Biotech Program offers five certificate tracks, including Biological Technology, Computational Biology, and Stem Cell Culture. What is learned in the program is Computational Biology, Basic data analysis/management, and Bioinformatics programming/application, the draft said. Glendale Community College has three biotech certificate programs – Biotechnology Certificate of Achievement, Biotechnology Research Lab Assistant, and Biotechnology Research Technician.

The draft presentation outlines the skills biotech companies seek, which includes “hard skills” like cell culture, biotechnology, biomanufacturing, biotechnology lab, molecular biology, and “soft skills” like teamwork, communication, strategy, public speaking, and problem solving.

The benefits, per the presentation, are manifold, such as biotech companies can be confident about their new hires, and save time and money training. They can also see increased growth of biotech programs, and increased student success rates. Also among the benefits: a biotech job pipeline will be established in Pasadena, and qualified employees will be contributing to the local economy, the draft presentation said. 

As described on PCC’s website, Comunidad “is an exciting new program designed to provide STEM students with real work-based learning experience!” Unlike traditional internships with barriers like prior experience requirements, “you will be working on campus… to solve a real problem for a local business or organization.”