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For Immediate Release
November 11, 2004


CBIA PROVIDES GRANT TO HELP BIOTECH INDUSTRY SOLVE HIGH-LEVEL SKILL SHORTAGE
Monsanto employees pursuing advanced degrees in engineering and biotechnology


Eleven employees at Monsanto, Mystic Research Center in Mystic, are pursuing master’s degrees in the biotechnology and engineering management fields at the University of New Haven. This will help further their careers and provide the company with highly technical job skills that are in short supply.

The training is provided through a U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) grant being administered by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA), to increase the number of highly skilled workers in the bioscience and pharmaceutical industries. The grant provides advanced training opportunities, including technical education, for employees and students, as well as tuition reimbursement for advanced degrees.

“Companies across Connecticut have been struggling with a shortage of employees who possess high-level science and technical backgrounds,” said Judy Resnick, CBIA director of workforce development and training and deputy director of CBIA’s Education Foundation. “This program is great for everyone involved. It helps employees advance into higher-skilled and higher-paying jobs, while allowing companies to hire American workers with the advanced skills needed to successfully compete in the global environment.”

Ten of the 11 employees in the program are pursing master’s degrees in cellular and molecular biology, which will allow them to function as independent scientists by stressing both the conceptual and technical aspects of biochemistry, cell biology, genomics and molecular biology. One employee is pursing an executive master’s degree in engineering management, which combines technical methodologies with current business management practices.

CBIA, in partnership with companies and educational institutions in Connecticut and nationwide, will support, develop and expand training, research and educational opportunities for selected participants in the bioscience technology industry. The funding for the grant is made possible through H-1B visa fees paid to the USDOL by businesses that have found it necessary to hire foreign labor to fill high-skill, high-demand jobs. Grant funds may only be used to train American workers with the skills needed for these jobs.

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For more information contact Nancy Andrews, CBIA media relations manager, at 860-244-1957 or andrewsn@cbia.com.

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Phone: (860) 244-1900 · Fax: (860) 278-8562

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