On Wednesday, March 17, the Chamber hosted the Workforce Roundtable on Bio Science. Andrea Sala, Vice Chair of Workforce and Development brought together an esteemed panel of speakers to engage on various topics including: industry trajectory, productivity, education and training, internships vs apprenticeships, and hiring. There were 36 people in attendance.
Panelists included: Michael Brenk, Vice President, Finance, Bachem Americas, Inc; Joel Espejo, SHRM-CP, PHR, US Head of Human Resources, Polypeptide Laboratories, Inc.; Dr. Philip LaPolt, Dean, College of Natural and Behavioral Science, California State University, Dominguez Hills.
The panelists shared the industry’s dynamic growth in both the workforce and education. The science and application of peptides specifically are far reaching: lowering high blood pressure, reducing inflammation, preventing the formation of blood clots, improving immune function, acting as antioxidants, cosmetic use, etc. “The future needs of this industry is a qualified workforce. The baby boomers are soon retiring and we need a new generation to keep things dynamic” stated Michael Brenk.
This past year has been unlike any other but the industry continues to advance. “The pandemic provided the department heads an opportunity to innovate practices from the ground up and across. There was a push to think things through.” Joel Espejo commented. And while distance education limited students’ lab time, there are still opportunities to advance in the bio science field. “CSUDH really worked together to continue to deliver a quality education for the students. Due to learning from home, the science’s were more theoretical than practical. But with the social requirements in place, research labs are the first to return to campus. The goal is to not simply “recover” but to come out the other side stronger.” Dr. Philip LaPolt said.
This Workforce Roundtable encapsulates the Chamber’s mission of catalyzing business growth, convening leaders, influencers & professionals, and championing Advocacy for a healthy economic climate.