NJBioFutures Event Unites Industry and Education Leaders to Strengthen the Workforce Development Plan for the New Jersey Cell and Gene Therapy Industry
NJ Community College Students Now Have Increased Educational and Training Opportunities in Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing Fields
February 25, 2025, Summit, New Jersey – Industry leaders, educators, and stakeholders gathered at the “NJBioFutures Summit Meeting” hosted by Bristol-Myers Squibb in Summit, New Jersey, to advance the future of New Jersey’s life sciences and biomanufacturing workforce.
NJBioFutures is a groundbreaking workforce development coalition comprised of education, government, industry, and community stakeholders aimed at creating a sustainable, skilled talent pipeline to support New Jersey’s rapidly expanding cell and gene therapeutics sector. With differentiated training programs, state-of-the art facilities, and industry-responsive curricula, New Jersey community college students now have the tools and resources to be prepared for new and emerging high-demand roles in New Jersey that offer competitive wages.
Attendees from leading companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Quva Pharmaceuticals, and Tevogen, joined forces with representatives from Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC), Middlesex College (MC), and Mercer County Community College (MCCC). These New Jersey community colleges will provide short-and long-term training and certification programs with hands on experience to students on cell and gene therapy biomanufacturing, biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals.
A highlight of the event was the presentation of the Visionary Impact Award to Bob Bowden, Senior Director, CAR-T Manufacturing, Johnson & Johnson, in recognition of his efforts in highlighting the urgent need for skilled talent in this emerging career pathway. Additionally, the Beacon of Generosity Award was presented to Ken Locke, Senior Vice President, Technical Operations, Carisma Therapeutics, and Joanna Schmidt, Associate Director – Scientific Operations, Carisma Therapeutics Inc., for their contributions to workforce development initiatives.
“This event showcases the essential collaboration between industry experts and educators in preparing a skilled workforce for the future of cell and gene therapy,” said Catherine Starghill, Vice President, New Jersey Council of County Colleges. “The dedication shown in this ecosystem that we created will help solidify New Jersey’s role as a leader in biomanufacturing innovation and talent development.”
“We take great pride in the network of educators and industry collaborators built through the NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities initiative, which laid the groundwork for NJBioFutures,” said Michael McDonough, President, RVCC. “This initiative is cultivating a strong talent pipeline that directly supports the evolving workforce demands of the life sciences and biomanufacturing industries.”
This event followed the launch of NJBioFutures earlier this month and the announcement of a $1 million contribution from Johnson & Johnson.
As NJBioFutures continues to gain momentum, events like this play a crucial role in strengthening ties between academia and industry. By fostering these collaborations, New Jersey is positioning itself at the forefront of workforce development in the rapidly evolving cell and gene therapy landscape.
For more information about NJBioFutures, visit njbiofutures.org.
About the New Jersey Council of County Colleges
Governed by the presidents and trustees of the state’s 18 community colleges and enshrined in state law, the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) supports New Jersey’s community colleges and the more than 230,000 students they serve annually across 47 locations by fostering collaboration and developing solutions that expand access to college, promote equity and student success, and create a skilled workforce to drive economic growth.
About NJBioFutures
Birthed from the Center of Workforce Innovation for Aseptic Processing and Biomanufacturing under the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities statewide initiative led by the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development (Community College Consortium), NJBioFutures is the alliance of education, government, industry, and community partners from which New Jersey’s foremost provider of workforce solutions for the aseptic processing and biomanufacturing industry has emerged.
