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Bioscience

Overview

Georgia's bioscience industry is rich with possibilities, momentum and growth opportunities that will enrich the state's future. The state is home to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and unique programs like the Georgia Research Alliance's Eminent Scholars. This industry is connected together statewide through a robust organization, Georgia Bio. As the industry continues to thrive and technology continues to be transferred into new products, Georgia companies and research entrepreneurs continue to succeed through the partnerships, programs, tools and support found throughout the state. Bioscience economic development information is cataloged and communicated via the state's official Web site, bio Georgia.

Economic and Workforce Outlook

The Selig Center for Economic Growth at the Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, publishes an annual Economic Outlook. The 2009 edition has been released and includes an economic and workforce forecast for Georgia's bioscience industry (Download Document). The summary predicts solid growth for this industry during 2009 with medical and diagnostic laboratories leading the growth with a healthy outlook for pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing. This edition also includes the economic and workforce forecast for Georgia's agribusiness (Download Document), which, while strong in 2008, market uncertainties make this sector a difficult one to predict in 2009.

Additionally, Georgia's Life Sciences Innovation Center bridges the worlds of industry, academia and federal and state agencies to support research, development and commercialization in the bioscience industry. The Agribusiness Innovation Center provides direct assistance to start-up and existing agribusiness companies to help them thrive and foster economic development.

Above are occupations needed for a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant and the number of people graduating from a relevant program in Georgia.

Education and Training

We understand that bioscience companies need several key positions to create initial success and drive future growth. Georgia's education system, coupled with Work Ready Certificates, provide this pipeline of workers. The state is home to 22 public colleges and universities, 32 private four-year colleges, two community colleges and 33 technical colleges. These post-secondary institutions include the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia and the Yerkes National Primate Research Center at Emory University. Other world-renowned facilities include the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases at the University of Georgia and the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience at Georgia State University. A unique bioscience workforce asset is the Georgia Bioscience Technology Institute jointly housed in Athens Technical College and Gwinnett Techincal College. To find the right one, Georgians can take advantage of Georgia College 411 to explore careers, select a college, prepare for the SAT and ACT, plan high school courses and learn about financial aid. Georgia's HOPE Program, provides scholarships and grants that reward students with financial assistance in degree, diploma and certificate programs at eligible state public and private colleges and universities, and public technical colleges.

Georgia's technical colleges also provide continuing education and Work Ready assessments that ensure students are ready for the flexible, customized training provided to new and expanding Georgia employers through Quick Start, the state's nationally recognized job training program, and the Intellectual Capital Partnership Program (ICAAP), an economic development program of the University System of Georgia that brings together education and business. In fact, the state's technical colleges have helped 21 percent of the state's workforce attain gold-level Work Ready Certificates.

Georgia Bioscience Work Ready Regions

Three regions in the state have gone even further by becoming Work Ready Regions, multiple counties that are bringing together their assets and leaders to create regional talent pools targeting bioscience to increase economic development opportunities. For an overview of Georgia's bioscience regions, click here.

The state's bioscience Work Ready Regions include:

Metro Atlanta-Athens Bioscience Work Ready Region

(Barrow, Clarke, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Jackson, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe and Walton Counties)

South Georgia Bioscience Work Ready Region

(Berrien, Brooks, Colquitt, Cook, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes, Tift, and Worth Counties)

Southwest Georgia Bioscience Work Ready Region

(Baker, Calhoun, Clay, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Randolph, Seminole, Terrell, and Thomas Counties)

More detailed information about Georgia's bioscience assets, workforce strengths, education and training, and community partnerships are contained within the site. This is valuable information for those companies seeking to expand or relocate their operations to the state.

Improve your Skills. Hire the Best. Get started with Work Ready.

You can access Work Ready tools and info in every Georgia county. Learn how to:

Schedule a Work Ready assessment
Access gap training to improve your level
Inquire about a Work Ready job profile