By Victoria Lim for WorkingNation.
Broadcast version by Danielle Smith for Arkansas News Service reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News Service Collaboration

Arkansas aims to create a hub of biomanufacturing talent with a new program led by the University of Arkansas (U of A). In as little as two weeks, Arkansans can earn a biomanufacturing micro-credential which can qualify them for jobs earning between $50,000 to $60,000 a year.

“Northwest Arkansas is a fast-growing, vibrant economy attracting world-class talent with our art and culinary amenities, and outdoor recreation opportunities,” says Toby Teeter, director of U of A’s Collaborative. “However, our region is underrepresented in the biotech sector. We want to offer our community high-paying career opportunities in this sector.”

The Collaborative is both a physical space and an innovation center, education, and research initiative that works with northwest Arkansas industries located in Bentonville, 30 miles north of the main campus.

Teeter joined forces with Tara Dryer, senior managing director of the U of A Global Campus Professional and Workforce Development, to create the university’s first program of its kind – the BioAR Train Biomanufacturing Workforce Initiative (BTBWI). The duo received a federal grant of close to a half million dollars through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration’s 2023 STEM Talent Challenge. The university is providing more than a half million dollars in matching funds.

Increasing the development of bio-industry credentials is a national priority. In Arkansas, the importance of biomanufacturing is two-fold, according to Teeter – it is one of the fastest growing segments of biotech and med tech industries and is part of the fast-growing class of life-saving medicines. Academia, workforce development, and companies want to be a part of this effort.

“We have Arkansas-based private equity and venture capital investing in biomanufacturing companies from around the world, including SymBiosis Capital Management here in Bentonville,” Teeter says. “As their discoveries require industrial manufacturing scale, we hope to attract contract biomanufacturers to relocate, expand, or establish in Arkansas to service the growing list of biomanufacturing startups with Arkansas ties. These large-scale biomanufacturing employers will require a trained workforce to meet these needs.”

“We are thrilled that the U of A has received this generous grant to train new workers for Arkansas’ growing biomanufacturing sector,” says SymBiosis Managing Partner Chidozie Ugwumba in a statement. “In the coming years, we expect innovative companies will come to our state to benefit from the skilled biomanufacturing professionals this program will produce.”

Teeter and Dryer traveled to other universities including Texas A&M’s National Center for Therapeutic Manufacturing to observe how similar workforce development centers are converting low-skill workers into performing biomanufacturing workers in less than three weeks.

The program will offer two tracts. The first will be a set of self-paced learning modules delivered online. It will be widely available across the state through partnerships with high schools, community colleges, and regional workforce centers across Arkansas. The second tract is an instructor-led hybrid curriculum that will leverage virtual reality equipment and software to replicate specific operations of machinery and biomanufacturing processes. The first VR-based biomanufacturing center will be located at the Collaborative in Bentonville. Two additional centers will eventually open in other areas of the state.

The curriculum will be available to high school graduates and workers from other fields with no prior manufacturing experience. It could be incorporated into existing high school science classes. Reaching underserved communities iss also a component of the grant.

“We hope to diversify our economy and add this fast-growing field to our state,” Teeter says. “Retaining and growing our workforce is a key economic development goal for our state. We don’t want our talent seeking biotech jobs leaving our state.”

The credential can help participants qualify for technician jobs working in pharmaceutical, food and beverage, cosmetics, and other fields. The online modules will be free. The “first few” cohorts of students will receive a full scholarship for the virtual reality portion.

The center at the Collaborative is expected to open by the end of March. The goal is to certify more than a hundred workers during the 24-month grant period and place them with biomanufacturing companies relocating or expanding into Arkansas. The hope is that employers will also use the training pipeline to train their workforce and cover the training costs.

“The transformation of our region in the space of biomanufacturing will be a collaboration between the University, business and industry, and other stakeholders,” Dryer says. “We each play a critical role in making this a success within our region. The workforce training is just one piece of the puzzle, and it is exciting to watch it all unfold.”


Victoria Lim wrote this article for WorkingNation.


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A Connecticut group is hosting an information clinic tomorrow about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid program, known as FAFSA.

The Center for Latino Progress is hosting the session to help students access financial resources to attend college. Technical issues delayed FAFSA submission for many students this year and the application process can be overwhelming.

Naomi Arroyo, youth development specialist at the center, said one of the most important parts of the process is establishing a FAFSA ID.

"It takes three to five days for the FAFSA ID to be completed and that is practically the first step of the FAFSA process," Arroyo explained. "But it is not the FAFSA application. It is an identification code saying this is who I am, it has been verified by FAFSA, so that when you click in the actual application, you don't have to fill out all of the necessary personal information."

She noted those participating in the clinics should have their FAFSA ID prepared before attending. The clinic will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Center for Latino Progress' main offices on the second floor of 95-97 Park Street in Hartford.

While it is the first time the Center for Latino Progress has done such an event, Arroyo pointed out they have enough funding to do it again. She noted community feedback has been positive since having a guide for the FAFSA speeds up the process. Arroyo added aside from technical issues, tax questions on the FAFSA can create barriers for families.

"All those little tricky tax form questions can be a challenge if you're a student," Arroyo acknowledged. "Or, if you're a parent and you're not sure where to put that information, it can be a lot."

The clinic is also designed to help people fill out a physical FAFSA form if the online version gets too unruly. Arroyo said some parents might not be familiar with the FAFSA and are unaware of how much support for which their children can qualify. The hope is the clinic bolsters education access for students and the community.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

Grants to help students overcome financial hurdles to complete degrees and certificates in science, technology, engineering, and math fields are now available through the Last Mile Education Fund.

Ruthe Farmer, founder and CEO of the fund, said society has invested roughly $477,000 by the time an average STEM student reaches his or her junior year.

She said helping them make it to the finish line is a win-win.

"Because the best outcome for society is that person graduating, using that college degree and all their investment in time, to contribute," said Farmer. "If they don't graduate, and they're stuck with a bunch of debt and they'll never earn the amount of money they could have, we all lose."

Eight in ten students from low-income families don't complete their degrees - largely because of a lack of financial resources to weather life events, such as a broken-down car or unexpected medical expense.

Since its inception, the fund has awarded more than 8,000 cash grants, totaling nearly $9 million. Forty-two percent of grantees were Black, 20% Hispanic, and 53% women.

Farmer encourages students to fill out an application online at 'lastmile-ed.org.'

"We have a listing there of all of the types of grants that we offer," said Farmer. "But it's not up to the student to have to figure all of that out. Just tell us who you are, complete the application, and we're going to find every dollar that we have available that matches with you."

STEM graduates earn on average $43,000 more per year than non-graduates, and more than twice as much as non-graduates over their lifetime.

Farmer said investing in students also boosts Colorado's economy.

"Because what we need is qualified workers in technology that are contributing to the innovation economy," said Farmer. "Especially in Colorado, that's a big part of our economy."

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.




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It is back-to-school time, and health experts are offering tips about improving children's physical and mental well-being.

The advice comes amid a recent global increase in anxiety and other behavioral health issues among kids. In Virginia, about one in five children have had a major depressive episode, according to a 2023 report.

Dr. Tierra Oseji, a pediatrician for Permanente Medicine, said social media use is a major factor in these trends and suggests finding ways to limit the time kids spend using it.

"The use of screen is a privilege and it's not a default," Oseji asserted. "It should be considered after chores are done. After family time has occurred over dinner. After we've done outdoor play."

For children aged 13-17, 95% report using some form of social media. Oseji also suggested deactivating apps while learning and using parental control locks to limit screen time. Gov. Glenn Youngkin has asked Virginia school districts to look for ways to restrict cellphones in classrooms.

Beyond screen time, experts said it is important to keep up with nutrition, dental hygiene and physical checkups.

Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer and executive vice president of UnitedHealthcare Employer and Individual, said having a routine like a good night's sleep and a sit-down meal can be beneficial.

"All of those things around consistency help your child feel more confident and secure and stable and also promote their health," Randall explained.

She suggested booking health checkups soon, as physicians are often busy this time of year. Virginia faces a shortage of doctors, nurses, psychiatrists and other health care workers.