CAMBRIDGE (May 24, 2023) – MassBio is proud to announce the launch of ‘Bioversity,’ a non-profit created to develop new training pathways and create employer connections for underrepresented populations and individuals traditionally left out of the life sciences. To start, Bioversity will operate a 4,000-square-foot workforce training center in Dorchester at the Southline Boston development on the site of the old Boston Globe headquarters being redeveloped by Beacon Capital. There it will run industry-aligned certification and upskilling programs, and serve as a nexus for employers, learners, and educational institutions.
“When MassBio’s 2022 Workforce Report showed that demand for talent from Massachusetts life sciences companies was outstripping supply at all levels, we knew that MassBio needed to act quickly to create new solutions” said Zach Stanley, formerly MassBio’s Chief of Corporate Affairs and Bioversity’s newly appointed Executive Director. “After further in-depth conversations with employers of all sizes, it was clear that the fastest way to deepen and diversify the talent pipeline was to develop and run short-term certification programs to train high school graduates for entry-level roles that can be pathways into careers and further educational attainment.”
Bioversity’s initial curriculum, developed in partnership with the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), will train high school graduates or GED holders in the technical and soft skills necessary to enter and succeed in entry-level positions in scientific operations roles such as facilities management, lab operations, supply chain and procurement, and biomanufacturing. These roles are well-compensated with excellent benefits and offer ample opportunity for career advancement. The training programs will be offered at no cost to learners and will provide a stipend to offset lost work hours and feature short-term completion timelines of between eight and 12 weeks.
Bioversity will also focus on heightening awareness of the value of careers in the life sciences for Massachusetts residents of all backgrounds and educational levels through its website and related programming with the goal of pathing people into the best educational or job opportunity for them. Additionally, in partnership with MassBio, Bioversity will raise the profile of and serve as the convener between all other Massachusetts-based training programs and academic entities, as well as employers, to align objectives and more easily provide work-ready graduates with job opportunities.
“Bioversity will create amazing opportunities for residents of Boston, especially our diverse communities and beyond to access good, high-paying positions and pathways to lifelong careers for so many,” said Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston Nicholas President and CEO Robert Lewis, Jr. “This initiative will make entry into the life sciences industry more accessible and help create economic opportunity, which can lead to generational wealth.”
The need for well-trained new employees in the life sciences industry is crucial for Massachusetts to maintain its leadership role. From 2006 to 2021, life sciences employment grew by almost 60,500 jobs – a rate of 131% – while the state’s entire labor market grew less than 7%.
Stanley comes to the role of executive director after overseeing MassBio’s government affairs, communications, marketing, DEI, patient advocacy and workforce development initiatives as chief corporate affairs officer. Prior to joining the organization in 2017 he was vice president of public affairs at Rasky Partners.
Bioversity plans to graduate 100 students in its first year and scale to nearly 170 annually within its first five years. The program is expected to double the current annual output of job-ready professionals from short-term training programs in the state.
About Bioversity
Bioversity, a Massachusetts incorporated non-profit with pending 501c3 status, blazes training pathways and creates employer connections for underrepresented populations and individuals traditionally left out of the life sciences to quickly propel them into well-paying jobs and lifelong careers. We aspire to an equitable life sciences industry that reflects the patient communities it serves and delivers career opportunities to all who want them. Bioversity operates training centers, runs programming, and creates partnerships to provide Massachusetts residents the skills and hands-on experience necessary to enter and thrive in life sciences careers. Together with MassBio, we serve as the nexus of learners, employers, educational institutions, and community organizations to make the whole of the life sciences workforce development landscape more efficient; allowing people to find jobs faster and employers to have easier access to a broader and more diverse talent pipeline.
About MassBio
MassBio’s mission is to advance Massachusetts’ leadership in the life sciences to grow the industry, add value to the healthcare system, and improve patient lives. MassBio represents the premier global life sciences and healthcare hub, with 1,600+ members dedicated to preventing, treating, and curing diseases through transformative science and technology that brings value and hope to patients. Founded in 1985, MassBio works to advance policy and promote education, while providing member programs, events, industry information, and services for the #1 life sciences cluster in the world.
About Zach Stanley
Zach Stanley is the Executive Director of Bioversity, a newly formed non-profit powered by MassBio that operates workforce training centers, runs training programming, and creates connections among employers, training entities, and students in order to reinvent career pathways for Massachusetts individuals traditionally left out of the life sciences. Formerly, he was Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at MassBio where he oversaw the organization’s government affairs, communications, marketing, equity, diversity & inclusion, patient advocacy, and workforce development initiatives. Prior to joining MassBio in 2017, Stanley was the Vice President of Public Affairs at Rasky Partners where he specialized in message development, integrated digital advocacy campaigns, government affairs, and coalition building. Recently, Stanley has served on the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Networks’ Reigniting Research Council, as well as on Host Committee for The Children’s Trust’s Celebrating Fatherhood Brunch. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Boston College.