For Students & Educators Archives

Pathmaker

Program Overview

The MLSC launched Pathmaker to further the development and expansion of life science career training programs. Pathmaker will award up to $750,000 per project in direct funding to support organizations that can build and scale career pathways that effectively prepare students for high-demand career opportunities in the life sciences. Through this program, the MLSC is particularly seeking to seed, enhance and/or expand training programs that address critical skills and talent supply gaps facing the state’s life science industry. Such programs include those focused on biomanufacturing, medtech manufacturing, and other key careers in the life sciences ecosystem in Massachusetts. Applicants must have at least one industry partnership that ensures that the program is responding to a direct hiring need. Furthermore, the MLSC is committed to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the life sciences workforce and will prioritize investment in programs that serve underrepresented populations.

The MLSC anticipates awarding four (4) to twelve (12) Pathmaker grants between $100,000 and $750,000 for one (1) year of work. Pathmaker is a key component of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s MassTalent initiative, a new strategy for connecting employers to skilled, diverse workers in Massachusetts.

Alternatively, training providers can seek the Pathmaker validation without applying for funding, provided that their existing program(s) meet the minimum Core Competency Checklist. Please see full details for Pathmaker validation process here.

The program is accepting applications and will be reviewed, evaluated, and approved on a rolling basis.

Eligibility and Evaluation

Applicants must use funds to implement workforce development programs that lead to careers in the life sciences industry. Funding must be requested to support training that prepares students with skills needed for life sciences careers. Programs must have a focus on skills training for high-demand occupations within the life sciences manufacturing sector (biomanufacturing and medtech / advanced manufacturing). If there are other skills related to careers in regulatory affairs, data science, clinical research support, lab support, facilities management, quality control and quality assurance, they will be reviewed and evaluated on an individual basis.

The “life sciences” are defined in the MLSC’s enabling legislation as “advanced and applied sciences that expand the understanding of human physiology and have the potential to lead to medical advances or therapeutic applications.”

Applicants must be a Massachusetts legally organized:

Life Science company (“Company”) located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and registered to do business in Massachusetts. A Certificate of Good Standing from the Massachusetts Secretary of State and Certificate of Good Standing from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue are required for the submission
Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), including CBOs relying on a fiscal agent
Community Colleges, Colleges, and Universities
Comprehensive and Vocational High Schools, including Vocational Schools offering an after-hours or Career Technical Initiative evening training program
For-Profit Entities
Non-Profit Entities
Municipalities
Workforce Development Organizations
MassHire Workforce Investment Boards and Career Centers

Please view the full list of eligibility requirements and evaluation process.

Resources

Applicants are required to create an account prior to accessing the application. If you already have an account, please log in to begin the application.

Sept. 26, 1-2 p.m. at Southline Bioversity – register
Slide Deck

Post-award Deliverables, Confidentiality, and General Conditions

Letter of Support Example

Sample Application for Funding

Request Form for Pathmaker Validation Without Funding

Core Competency Guidance and Checklist

MassBioEd Report

Map and Guide to Training Partners

MassTalent

Impact on the Ecosystem

Pathmaker has grown out of an existing group of successful partnerships between life science companies and training providers, that leverage the excellent workforce development resources we have in the Commonwealth and the previous investments the Center and others have made in the ecosystem. Pathmaker was announced in June 2023 at the BIO International Convention as part of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s launch of a new strategy for connecting employers to skilled, diverse workers in Massachusetts called MassTalent. MassTalent will serve as a one-stop front door for companies to access multiple talent pipelines in high-growth industries like the life sciences, clean energy and advanced manufacturing.

The 2023 MassBioEd Life Science Workforce Analysis Report indicates that

Over 72% of all life sciences jobs in 2022 are located in biopharmaceuticals and medical labs.
MA economy is projected to grow its employment base by adding more than 40,000 net new jobs in the life sciences by 2032.
Projections indicate 6,617 average annual job openings in key life sciences occupations over the next decade.

The additional funding available through this program aims to amplify and scale these successful models to address the most pressing workforce needs in the industry and create a sustainable structure that can adapt to the future needs as the spirit of innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurship continue to make Massachusetts the best place in the world for the life sciences.

Connect with us to Learn More

If you have any questions regarding the application process, e-mail Pathmaker@masslifesciences.com.

Ernest E. Just Life Sciences Initiative

Program Overview

It is essential that our life sciences ecosystem values and embraces a diverse workforce. It is not only about equal representation, it is about the strong business case, the bottom line, and ensuring the next big breakthroughs to save lives and improve patient outcomes. That’s why here in Massachusetts, we know that the strongest life sciences sector is a diverse one.

The Massachusetts life Sciences Center (MLSC) has partnered with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) on the Ernest E. Just Life Sciences Initiative , which creates internship opportunities in the Boston-area for students enrolled in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Students gain valuable experience and a network of professionals to pave a path for a fulfilling career in the life sciences.

UNCF will help provide transportation, housing, and other vital wrap around services to ensure students have a welcoming, memorable, and rewarding time in Boston.

Host organizations that meet the eligibility criteria for the MLSC’s Internship Challenge can seek reimbursement from the MLSC for wages paid to their intern(s).

Impact from HBCUs

Black professionals face underrepresentation in STEM fields, but HBCUs help close that gap. In 2019, 27 percent of all Black STEM graduates received HBCU degrees. Between 1995-2004, 46 percent of Black woman STEM degree-holders graduated from an HBCU. At the doctoral level, nearly 30 percent of Black graduates with a doctorate in science or engineering attended an HBCU.

HBCU students have an advantage long past graduation. A whopping 25 percent of African American graduates with STEM degrees come from HBCUs. Eight HBCUs were among the top 20 institutions to award the most science and engineering bachelor’s degrees to black graduates from 2008-2012.

Though HBCUs make up only three percent of the country’s colleges and universities, they enroll 10 percent of all African American students and produce almost 20 percent of all African American graduates.

Impact on the Ecosystem

In the first two years, the initiative created 42 meaningful internship opportunities with 13 life sciences companies and research institutions throughout the Boston-area. This initiative provides students an opportunity to spend 10 weeks interning at life sciences organizations of all sizes.

In addition to internship funding, the MLSC is proud to have supported the Ernest E. Just Life Sciences Initiative with $100,000 to support program implementation.

Connect with us to Learn More

If you have further questions regarding the application process, please email: internship@masslifesciences.com.

STEM Equipment and Professional Development Grant Program

Program Overview

The MLSC seeks to further advance and expand life sciences education at Massachusetts public schools through implementation of project and inquiry-based curriculum. Through this program, the MLSC awards grant funding to schools and curriculum providers for the purpose of teacher professional development and the purchase of equipment, materials, supplies, and technology needed to support new or expanded curriculum. Funding will enable schools to educate students in real-world scenarios that will prepare them for career opportunities in the life sciences. Professional development funding will ensure that educators receive the technical training needed to effectively use newly acquired equipment and technology.

Applicants can request grant funding as follows:

	Equipment & Supplies	Professional Development
High school (new program or reconfiguring lab space)	$85,000	$15,000
High school (upgrades to existing program)	$65,000	$15,000
Middle school	$30,000	$10,000
Elementary school (grades 3-5)	$15,000	$10,000

Investments made through this program seek to expand access to STEM equipment, curriculum, and professional development, increase educational equity and help the achievement and opportunity gaps, train a diverse STEM workforce pipeline, support the implementation of Massachusetts Science, Technology, and Engineering Standards, increase student achievement and interest in STEM, increase awareness of life sciences careers, improve college and career readiness, and leverage partnerships.

Eligibility & Evaluation

Applicants must be at least one of the following:

Vocational technical high school as determined by Chapter 74 of the General Laws of Massachusetts or a comprehensive public high school with a life sciences Chapter 74 program.
Public schools (including charter schools) located in one of the following “Gateway Cities” as determined by Section 3A of Chapter 23A of the General Laws of Massachusetts: Attleboro, Barnstable, Brockton, Chelsea, Chicopee, Everett, Fall River, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Leominster, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Methuen, New Bedford, Peabody, Pittsfield, Quincy, Revere, Salem, Springfield, Taunton, and Westfield, and Worcester.
Public schools with a student population of at least 25 percent classified as “low income” by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
Non-profit curriculum provider, with a presence in Massachusetts, delivering STEM curriculum and/or teacher professional development to schools that meet any of the above-stated criteria. Any equipment requested on behalf of partner schools must be delivered to and remain housed at the schools.

For schools belonging to a district, the district must be the applicant and only one application can be submitted per school district. Districts must submit applications that reflect district-wide resource needs and promote curriculum alignment.

Applications will be evaluated based on the ability of the proposed curriculum to support a trained workforce suitable for employment in the life sciences. Successful proposals will explain how the requested equipment and supplies will create learning opportunities that are aligned with the needs of the life sciences industry. Proposals should explain how the requested equipment and professional development will enable schools to provide curriculum, instruction and student learning experiences that align with Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Learning Standards relevant to the life sciences. The MLSC will consider the qualifications of the team, the ability to meet an educational need, and the budget.

The application for FY25 grants will be available starting Dec. 11, 2023. The deadline to apply is March 29, 2024 at 5 p.m.

Resources

Solicitation

Program Handout

Applicants are required to create an account prior to accessing the application. If you already have an account, please log in to begin the application.

Impact on the Ecosystem

The MLSC has invested more than $25.7 million in equipment and professional development funding in 280 schools throughout Massachusetts. Funding has served schools in all 14 Massachusetts counties and all 26 Gateway Cities, as well as all vocational-technical high schools with a life sciences program. Moreover, more than 60 percent of students attending eligible schools have gained access to new equipment and nearly 30 percent of all Massachusetts public school students attend a school that has received an MLSC grant.

Connect with us to Learn More

If you have any questions regarding the application process, e-mail: equip@masslifesciences.com.

Project Onramp

Program Overview

As part of an ongoing and strategic effort to support the development of a diverse workforce talent pipeline for the life sciences industry, the MLSC partnered with MassBio, MassBioEd, Life Science Cares, and Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives (MBI) to launch Project Onramp. The program creates paid summer internships for Massachusetts college students who are under-resourced and often first-generation, helping to bridge the opportunity gap for these promising young people. Project Onramp also provides wraparound training and support for interns and their supervisors.

A primary Project Onramp partner is Bottom Line, a nationally acclaimed nonprofit that helps students from low-income backgrounds get into college and successfully graduate. Bottom Line provides our Life Science Scholars with one-on-one support every step of the way. Project Onramp also partners with Thrive Scholars and Minds Matter Boston, which are non-profits giving high-achieving, low-income students the opportunities they need to thrive at top colleges, and in meaningful careers.

Eligibility & Evaluation

Participating companies with 100 employees or fewer are eligible to apply for reimbursement of up to $9,600 per intern (up to two) through the MLSC Internship Challenge.

Resources

Project Onramp Website

Sponsor an Intern

Impact on the Ecosystem

Diversity is key to our state’s competitiveness and the MLSC is proud to work alongside the industry to ensure the sciences become more inclusive. Project Onramp is breaking down barriers and facilitating students on a pathway to success—while helping life sciences companies build a more diverse talent pipeline for the growing needs of the industry. These internship opportunities serve as a stepping-stone to a rewarding career for a talent pool that has typically had difficulty gaining access to the life science industry. The program will give the students – many of them the first in their families to attend college – hands-on experience and a valuable start towards a career in biotechnology. It will also help growing Massachusetts life sciences companies fill the positions anticipated across the industry. In its first four years, the program facilitated 390 internships with more than 100 different companies.

Connect with us to Learn More

If you have any questions, please email Ruby Kim, Project Onramp Manager with Life Sciences Cares, at Ruby@lifesciencecares.org.

Internship Challenge

Program Overview

Investing in the next generation of life science professionals is at the core of our mission. The Internship Challenge enhances the talent pipeline for the Massachusetts life sciences industry by creating hundreds of new internship opportunities each year for college students and recent graduates interested in life sciences careers. The workforce development program connects employers with prospective interns through an online platform and enables eligible companies to pay their interns for up to twelve weeks by subsidizing intern wages.

Internships can be part- or full-time and can take place throughout the 12-month Program Year, which runs from May 1 through April 30. Beginning May 1, 2023, the MLSC will reimburse eligible organizations at pay rates up to $20 per hour for a total reimbursement of up to $9,600 per intern. Also effective May 1, 2023, interns participating in this program must be paid at least $17 per hour.

As part of our commitment to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the life sciences workforce, the MLSC also partners with Project Onramp and the UNCF Ernest E. Just Initiative to support internship opportunities for underrepresented students.

Eligibility Requirements

For Interns For Companies

Resources

Intern Applicant Account Registration

New Company Account Registration

Students and companies already registered can log in here to access the application.

FAQs for Interns

FAQs for Host Companies

Skills Handout

Program Handout

Impact on the Ecosystem

The Internship Challenge embodies our belief in the power of experiential learning to cultivate a workforce pipeline. As the longest-running program at the MLSC, the Internship Challenge has expanded the pool of prospective employees who have practical experience, increased opportunities for mentoring, and enabled more students from across the Commonwealth to explore careers in the life sciences industry. This initiative has reached every region of our state to the benefit of a diverse pool of talented young people.

The program creates new internship opportunities for college students and recent graduates by enabling small companies, of 100 employees or less, to hire paid interns. Since the program’s inception in 2009, the MLSC has funded more than 5,500 internships with more than 950 companies for students from 250 different academic institutions. Nearly 40 percent of interns that completed college were offered employment directly following their internship.

Connect with us to Learn More

If you have further questions regarding the application process, please email: internship@masslifesciences.com.

High School Apprenticeship Challenge

Program Overview

The High School Apprenticeship Challenge facilitates and funds paid internships for underrepresented and low-income high school students throughout Massachusetts. The program creates more than 100 new internship opportunities each year by subsidizing intern wages for small life sciences companies and research institutions to enable them to hire paid interns. The program also offers a pre-internship lab training program for some school districts that provides rigorous biotechnology/biomedical and professional skills development.

The MLSC reimburses eligible host organizations up to $3,600 per intern, based on $15 per hour for six weeks of full-time work. Internships can be part-time or full-time and must take place between May 1, 2023 and April 30, 2024.

Eligibility Requirements

For Students For Host Organizations

Resources

Intern Applicant Account Registration

New Company Account Registration

Students and companies already registered can log in here to access the application.

Program Handout

Impact on the Ecosystem

Since the program first launched in 2016, the MLSC has supported 615 internships at more than 110 life sciences companies and research institutions. Interns have represented 158 Massachusetts high schools and 392 students have participated in MLSC-sponsored lab training programs designed to better prepare them for internships. The program has been offered in Brockton, New Bedford, Worcester, and Cambridge (serving Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Revere, and Everett students) in partnership with the LEAH Knox Scholars Program.

The program seeks to create paid work-based learning opportunities for underrepresented youth, supplement life science education with rigorous out-of-school-time (OST) training, foster relationships between economically disadvantaged schools and life sciences employers, develop students’ professional workplace skills, increase awareness of life sciences careers, and build a diverse STEM workforce pipeline.

Connect with us to Learn More

If you have questions regarding the application process, please email: internship@masslifesciences.com.

Data Science Internship Program

Program Overview

The Data Science Internship program focuses on increasing the availability of data science talent in the life sciences. The program creates new internship opportunities for qualified candidates, including those at the Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate levels, by enabling research institutions and companies to hire paid interns for up to six months. The program connects employers with prospective interns through an online platform and reimburses eligible companies (100 or fewer employees in Massachusetts; no more than 250 globally) and research institutions for intern wages. Companies with greater than 100 FTEs in Massachusetts are also encouraged to use the portal to search for unsubsidized interns.

The program is intended to provide opportunities for intern exposure to advanced data analytics and data science applications to the life sciences. Prospective interns must demonstrate proficiency in advanced analytics skills and technologies based on their work experience and/or academic training. Internships can be part- or full-time and can take place for companies any time during the 12-month program year, which runs from May 1 through April 30. For research institutions, there is no specific program year. Data Science internship candidates submit an online application, including their resume and cover letter. There is no application deadline since internship placements are rolling. Approved employers will review applications and contact candidates directly if they are interested in hiring them for an internship.

Through this program, the MLSC also seeks to increase access to internships for those traditionally underrepresented in the data science field, particularly those identifying as women, Black, Indigenous, and/or Latinx.

Eligibility Requirements

For Interns For Host Institutions

Resources/Application

Companies and prospective interns must first create an account in our application portal in order to submit an application:
Intern Registration
Company Registration

If you already have an account, please log in here to access the application.

Research Institutions are asked to email DataScience@masslifesciences.com to register.

Program Handout

Impact on the Ecosystem

The Data Science Internship program is designed to address the rapidly increasing demand for data science talent by expanding the pool of qualified applicants by facilitating practical experience and eventual employment in life sciences careers in Massachusetts.

The program contributes to the development of a robust and diverse life sciences workforce by providing new opportunities for students pursuing data science and related majors, engaging research institutions and industry in recruiting from a global talent pool, and increasing awareness of career pathways in life sciences. Since the program launched in 2020, nearly 100 companies and research institutions hosted more than 150 interns from 48 colleges and universities.

Connect with us to Learn More

If you have questions regarding the application process, please email: internship@masslifesciences.com.

Program Overview

Eligibility and Evaluation

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Impact on the Ecosystem

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Program Overview

Impact from HBCUs

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