When announcing Novartis' new vaccine-manufacturing facility at Holly Springs, NC, CEO Joerge Reinhardt said, "The fact that we can have instantaneous workers was absolutely essential. It was the main reason why we picked North Carolina." The NC Community College System (NCCCS) BioNetwork is providing that workforce for Novartis and the hundreds of other companies that make North Carolina the number-three biotech state in the United States.

NCCCS BioNetwork is a statewide initiative that networks the more than 20 community colleges, which provide specialized education and training for the pharma, biotechnology, and life sciences sectors. Many of these colleges produce graduates who are well qualified to work as technicians in laboratories and in contract research.

BioNetwork is the leading network of its kind in the United States. It has six specialized centers - staffed by people directly out of industry - that provide support to biotechnology faculty at the community colleges. Industry benefits from the networking because colleges actively share coursework and best practices statewide. The centers also provide train-the-trainer sessions that keep instructors up to date.

BioNetwork has several full-scale aseptic training facilities, the first of their kind in the United States. The BioNetwork Capstone Center has a simulated cGMP aseptic suite at its dedicated space in the Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center on NC State's Centennial campus. Concentrated, premium-quality aseptic training is provided in a fully monitored environment by industry-experienced instructors. In addition, Johnston Community College has a fill-and-finish line for aseptic injectible production training. In an aseptic suite at Pitt Community College, maintenance technicians learn to gown up and provide routine maintenance and repairs to clean-room production lines.

BioNetwork has several commercialscale aseptic suites for cGMP training in biomanufacturing, maintenance and fill/finish operations.

BioNetwork partners with the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) to offer validation training at community colleges. This training teaches students to help companies meet regulatory requirements. In addition, companies building new facilities can use the coursework to pretrain workers for facility validation.

Because facility managers can't always afford to pull people off the line for extended periods of time, BioNetwork also uses the nation's only mobile lab that is dedicated to worker training. The BioNetwork Bus travels across the state, offering specialized training at company sites.

BioAg Center - supports community colleges that provide agricultural, aquaculture, and related coursework such as biofuels, plant-tissue culturing, and biosecurity.

BioBusiness Center - provides support to small-business centers and life science entrepreneurs.

BioEducation Center - supports BioNetwork with quality distance education and blended education solutions.

Bioprocessing Center - supports community colleges that educate and train for biomanufacturers.

Capstone Center - offers premium training in a cGMP-simulated facility.

Pharmaceutical Center - supports community colleges that educate and train for the pharmaceutical industry.

Validation Academy - a BioNetwork-ISPE partnership that provides validation training.