WashU’s School of Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS) is launching a new program that prepares adult learners for high-demand jobs in medical and research laboratories.
The accelerated 16-week Bioscience Technology Certificate program is designed for working adults with online and evening classes. Grants are available to cover the full cost of tuition for eligible students.
The program is part of CAPS’ ongoing commitment to create career pathways in the growing health-care field. CAPS also recently introduced certificate programs in medical billing and medical coding as well as a health-care transition certificate, which prepares students for a variety of entry-level positions.
“It’s easy to look at a lab technician in a white coat and think, ‘They are doing heavy-duty science. I could never do that,’” said Jodie Lloyd, director of business development and school initiatives at CAPS. “This work doesn’t require a science degree, but it does demand important skills. Our Bioscience Technology Certificate equips students with those skills so that they can excel in a lab environment from Day One.”
BioSTL, a leading nonprofit committed to building the St. Louis plant and life sciences sector, helped develop the program’s curriculum based on feedback from local businesses, startups and hospitals. BioSTL also is funding the program’s tuition grants.
Sally Steuterman, BioSTL’s manager of scientific training partnerships, said that students will learn laboratory safety principles, basic techniques, documentation protocols and laboratory mathematics — essentially decimals, exponents and unit conversions. Steuterman knows math is hard for many students, but said the coursework is fun and focused on building math confidence.
“Students are often surprised by how many transferable skills they already possess,” she said. “People who are detail oriented, good with their hands and like routine often do great in these positions.”
The Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development has identified bioscience as a sector for job growth. Currently, there are 3,600 bioscience employers in the state. Bioscience industry wages average $82,500 — $20,000 higher than the state average for private industries.
“There is a lot of opportunity for growth in the biosciences,” Lloyd said. “Many people who enter the field as a technician go on to gain further credentials or degrees with the support of their companies. It’s a great stepping stone.”
Visit the CAPS website to learn more or to apply for a scholarship.
