Sinclair Workforce Development is currently recruiting displaced and incumbent workers for a seven-week Bioscience Manufacturing Technology retraining program that begins August 8. It is designed to upgrade the skills of displaced or underemployed workers and train incumbent workers to enable them to have the opportunity to move into higher level jobs with their current employer.

The bioscience short-term training program is being offered jointly by Sinclair Workforce Development and the Cincinnati State Workforce Development Center through a U.S. Department of Labor and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant. BioOhio is lead agent for the grant. The two community colleges are collaborating on an extensive program in bioscience careers, and have worked closely with regional pharmaceutical and medical device companies to develop a relevant curriculum. More than 100 students will be trained over the life of the three-year grant.

The seven week bioscience curriculum focuses on positions such as development operators, manufacturing technicians, CNC – Computer Numerical Control - operators, quality technicians, and laboratory and research assistants. The program’s advisory companies have indicated that these positions are ones in which they face critical shortages of qualified employees.

The classes are currently being offered at the new Sinclair/Cincinnati State Bioscience Manufacturing Technology Lab located at Cincinnati State’s Workforce Development Center, 10100 Reading Road in Evendale, north of Cincinnati. To date, more than 50 students have enrolled in the program.

Brenda Latanza, Manager, Public Workforce Initiatives, is the Sinclair Workforce Development representative helping to coordinate the Bioscience training in SW Ohio.

For more information and to apply go online to the Workforce website or contact Brenda Latanza at (513) 339-1212, extension 6.