By MATT PIKE
Missouri Western State University has partnered with Boehringer Ingelheim to launch a new program to build the technical skills needed for careers in biomanufacturing.
The Bio-Process Certificate Program combines traditional classroom learning with hands-on training at Boehringer’s purpose-built Technical Training Center in St. Joseph. Instruction is led by MoWest faculty alongside Boehringer subject matter experts. The program’s first class of students have completed the requirements to earn their certificates.
The Technical Training Center features dedicated spaces that replicate key upstream and downstream bioprocessing activities, such as transfer panels and tank-transfer simulations that mirror real production workflows, a fully equipped laboratory, and a gowning airlock. The facility also includes a functioning filling machine with restricted access barriers, enabling students to learn aseptic processes at their own pace.
“Our new Training Center of Xcellence and collaboration with Missouri Western State University reflect our commitment to investing in our workforce and supporting long-term development here in St. Joseph,” Head of U.S. Animal Health Global Supply at Boehringer Ingelheim David Atchison says in a news release. “As our technology and products evolve, so do the skills required to manufacture them. By building a strong biomanufacturing training environment and partnering with MoWest, we’re helping ensure our employees are prepared for what’s next.”
While the initial group of students were Boehringer employees, the partnership aims to expand enrollment over time to include the broader St. Joseph community, helping build a strong pipeline of future biomanufacturing talent.
“Boehringer Ingelheim is a vital partner in the St. Joseph community, and this collaboration underscores a shared commitment to developing local talent,” MoWest Director of Workforce Development Rebecca Lobina explains. “Together, we are preparing a skilled workforce for careers in biomanufacturing while strengthening the region’s economic future.”
Boehringer’s St. Joseph site is a key global supply and research and development site, producing livestock vaccines used across the U.S. and around the world. The company has invested more than $150 million in the site in recent years to enhance operations.
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