Course Offerings

The BioWork Process Technician course is designed to provide basic preparation for entry-level process technician jobs in bioprocess manufacturing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and chemical manufacturing. BioWork provides competencies to include understanding the role of a process technician, safety, quality processes, measuring process variables, transforming matter, process technology (including processing equipment and plant utilities), controlling the process, maintaining sterile processes, and growing living cells. BioWork graduates are sought after to become employed in the Biopharmaceutical Industry here in Wake County and the surrounding counties. BioWork certification feeds in to two separate Wake-Tech degree programs, which means a BioWork graduate can pursue their associates degree here at Wake Tech after being hired in the industry. Many industries in our area provide educational benefit for their employees. What that means for the BioWork graduate is a job, and the potential to earn a degree with very little out of pocket costs, which equals not only employment opportunities but also opportunities for advancement. BioWork is also a Propel Scholarship sponsored program here at Wake Tech, which means you can potentially earn this certification for free. If you think this is for you, all you have to do is apply and register today.

Course Objectives

Demonstrate knowledge and competence in the academic and technical fields, related to bioprocess manufacturing.

Use critical thinking to analyze and solve problems.

Communicate effectively.

Demonstrate positive, effective, and appropriate interpersonal skills.

Outline of instruction

Unit 1: Pharmaceutical Quality and CGMP - quality methods, standards, and practices utilized in the biomanufacturing industry and how the federal government regulates and enforces these.

Unit 2: Working Safely - hazards and risks within the biomanufacturing industry and how industry practices, education, and federal agencies such as OSHA work to minimize these hazards and risks.

Unit 3: Measuring Process Parameters - process variables such as length, mass, volume, pressure, and other parameters are measured and converted back and forth between the metric and English unit systems.

Unit 4: Chemical Processes in Biomanufacturing - introduction to common chemicals in the workplace, basic chemical safety, nature of chemicals, chemical families, chemical reactions, and mixtures / solutions.

Unit 5: Equipment and Utilities - discussion of inputs, process steps, outputs, facility organization, process equipment (tanks, piping systems, pumps, valves, and seals), facility utilities (gases, water, steam, heating and cooling, hydraulics, electricity, and waste treatment.

Unit 6: Controlling the Process - common unit operations, separation methods and equipment, process control parameters and methods, process control instrumentation, and manual / automatic control methods.

Unit 7: Facilities and the Manufacturing Environment - facility design and operation considerations including biopharmaceutical facility regulatory requirements, facility monitoring and maintenance, and contamination control concerns / methods.

Unit 8: Biomanufacturing Production - detailed discussion of biomanufacturing steps that are common to many product types and specific production steps unique to or found in a number of special product categories.

In addition to the above-mentioned unit materials contained within the BioWork textbook, instruction and discussion about job seeking skills such as resume development, searching for jobs online, LinkedIn or other professional networking tool, and interview questions is included in this course. Students are strongly encouraged and invited to attend virtual career fairs that have as many as 30 industry partners that readily attend.

Contact Hours

136

CEUs

1

Industry Standard, State or National Certification

Partnership for Biotechnology Workforce Training - Process Technician Examination

CE or CU Articulation

Bioprocess Practices,BPM110 and Industrial Environment, PTC110

Prerequisites

Students who wish to register for BioWork must possess a high school diploma or GED, must complete an online information session.

Text and Supplies Needed

BioWork: An Introductory Course for Process Technicians, Third Edition, Revised 2020

Clinical Site/Special Facilities

Lab Module or Virtual replacements for onsite laboratory exercises

Requirements for Successful Completion

80% attendance"Tests - students must score an 80% on each unit exam to stay in the course. Students are allowed one retest of each unit exam to reach that minimum exam score of 80%"," An approved resume from NCBioNetwork or Biotechnology Career Navigator"

Accreditation/Special Approval Requirements

N/A

Intended Audience

Those with at least a high school diploma or GED who are unemployed; transitioning, especially from other manufacturing sectors, or starting a new career. This course can also be useful for individuals with degrees in Biological sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or other fields who want to enter employment in biomanufacturing or pharmaceutical manufacturing and lack the knowledge of the products, regulations, and manufacturing methods used in these industries.

Specific Industry or Business Support Needs

Bioprocess Technician 3 or 4, Manufacturing Process Technician I, Operation Specialist

Wake County Need for Industry Positions

Many employers within Wake County and surrounding counties

Industry or Job Titles Related to training Outcomes for Employment

Manufacturing Process Technician

Bioprocess Technician

Operation Specialist

Related Courses

Course Contact Information

Cynthia Lawrence
919-335-1037
[email protected]