Through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center’s (MLSC) Pathmaker program, Just A Start is expanding access to biotechnology training and creating new pathways for Massachusetts residents to pursue careers in the life sciences. Building on more than 30 years of workforce training experience, the Cambridge-based organization’s Biotechnology Career Accelerator Program provides an intensive, 10-week training experience combining classroom instruction, hands-on laboratory training, and career development to prepare participants for entry-level careers in laboratory support and biomanufacturing.
In the latest announcement of Pathmaker awards, Just A Start received more than $588,000 to support 49 training opportunities through the Biotechnology Career Accelerator Program.
“Massachusetts has an incredibly strong life sciences sector, but too many residents lack access and the skills to secure careers in the industry,” said Just A Start Executive Director Carl Nagy-Koechlin. “The Pathmaker program has enabled Just A Start to expand and evolve our biotechnology training model to meet the needs of residents and the sector. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue preparing talented individuals for meaningful careers while strengthening the life sciences workforce across the Commonwealth.”
Additionally, the organization is strengthening its training model through a partnership with the Institute for Protein Innovation (IPI), supported by a Post-Secondary Education and Training grant of nearly $83,000 from the MLSC’s Education and Workforce Development Grant Program. The partnership is introducing specialized laboratory automation training into Just A Start’s biotechnology programs, giving trainees hands-on experience with automated liquid handling, laboratory testing workflows, and robotic processes. Industry partners, including Moderna and Opentrons Labworks Inc., are helping inform curriculum development to ensure participants gain skills aligned with employer needs.
Since launching in 2023, the MLSC has awarded nearly $19 million through Pathmaker and has created more than 1,690 training opportunities across Massachusetts. Building on this momentum, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) has recently expanded this initiative beyond the life sciences into advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, defense, and climatetech through the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s (MassTech) Advanced Manufacturing & AI Pathmaker program and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) Climatetech Pathmaker Grants. Applications for the MLSC’s Pathmaker program are open through Jan. 6, 2027, at 5 p.m. EST, and applications for the Education and Workforce Development Grant Program are open through Jan. 28, 2027, at 5 p.m. EST. Click here to learn more and apply today.
