Events
Biotech Students Connect with Employers
RALEIGH, N.C. (March 19, 2024) – More than 100 Wake Tech Biotechnology students and alumni took their first step toward landing a high-demand job in the fast-growing industry on Wednesday during a biotech career fair at Southern Wake Campus.
Students dressed their best and met with representatives from industry leaders such as Novo Nordisk, Grifols, CSL Seqirus, GSX and other employers. They also talked to representatives from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, the NC BioNetwork Capstone Center and universities offering opportunities for advanced degrees, including East Carolina University, North Carolina Central University and North Carolina State University.
Maggie Hix, who will complete Wake Tech's BioWork accelerated non-degree course in April, raved about the hiring event.
"This is invaluable," Hix said. "I wouldn’t be able to network like this on my own. It's nice to have everyone in a room together. You're able to showcase your personality to the industry representatives and be more than just words on a resume."
Hix said she researched all the participating companies, polished her resume and prepared thoughtful questions before the event. "This is such a dynamic and diverse industry, and that really appeals to me. I'm so excited about the future," she said.
The career fair featured an apprenticeship panel that included five Wake Tech apprentices, four apprenticeship employer partners and an Apprenticeship NC representative. The panelists shared their apprenticeship experiences and the value of the opportunity for both the students and the employers. Apprenticeships offer the chance to earn a salary while getting on-the-job training and classroom instruction. Most apprenticeships transition to permanent employment.
High school students from Vernon Malone Career and College Academy and Wake Early College of Information and Biotechnologies also attended to learn more about biotech careers.
Wake Tech representatives from Career Services, Financial Aid, Academic Advising and the Wake Tech Foundation were also on hand to answer questions about employment resources, scholarships and program requirements.
Wake Tech launched its Biotechnology AAS degree in 2021, and in just two years, the program has grown to 60 students. Wake Tech also offers the Biopharmaceutical Technology AAS degree, which prepares students for careers in pharmaceutical manufacturing and related industries. The college will soon break ground on its Advanced Technology Center at Wake Tech East in Wendell, which will offer a realistic simulated biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility.
In addition, Wake Tech offers BioWork, an accelerated non-degree certification that can lead to quick entry into the industry as a biopharmaceutical process technician. The college is launching a five-course Agricultural Biotechnology certificate this fall to diversify entry-level biotechnology education options for students.
To learn more, visit biotech.waketech.edu.
