The BTI BioSTART to Lab Associates Program is designed to provide the “skills to pay the bills.” The 12 week BioSTART provides strengthened academics (math and reading), professional development lessons and an overview of the bioscience industry. Successful completers move directly into BTI’s Laboratory Associates program which spans 9 weeks of lecture and laboratory exercises and a 100 hour internship, after completion of which he BTI-trained worker has a broad understanding of the scientific and practical topics within the biotech industry and has developed critical specific skills in lab techniques.
The curriculum topics and skills which students are taught include clean room practices, techniques in cell culture, FDA sanctioned Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), laboratory safety and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), cleaning and sterilization, gowning techniques, weights and measurements, laboratory math, introduction to animal care and techniques in molecular biology. Lecture material and glossary terms are provided to the student for review and study the evening before the scheduled topic is presented. That lecture’s laboratory exercise reinforces the material presented that day. Lab skills, such as pipetting and contamination control, which are critical to success in a lab environment, are taught and reinforced in every lab session. This attention to the critical skills and knowledge needed for lab work, the strict adherence to academic performance and attendance, the job-readiness preparation and assistance with placement combine, to make the BTI program unique.