Life Sciences Paths Program

The Life Sciences Paths Program is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, or DCED. The program is designed to support the life sciences industry in Pennsylvania through workforce preparation, educational opportunities, industry partnerships, and capacity development. Its stated focus is on projects that result in career preparedness, short term work readiness training, entry level job placement, or advancement of the life sciences industry in Pennsylvania. The program also emphasizes support for populations that face barriers to employment. The program seeks to create partnerships among life science companies, training providers, and educational institutions. These partnerships are intended to provide secondary school educational opportunities that prepare students from all backgrounds for careers in the life sciences industry. The program also seeks collaboration with local biotechnology and life science companies to identify essential skills that are missing among entry level applicants and to teach those skills in preparation for existing or near future open positions. Additional objectives include engaging youth and people who face employment barriers in activities that build awareness of life sciences career opportunities. Supported activities may include career preparedness, short term work readiness training, entry level job placement, secondary school educational opportunities, awareness building activities related to careers in the life sciences, and efforts that advance capacity for local or regional life sciences companies. Training programs are expected to respond to local or regional needs and to involve partnerships with biotechnology or life science companies. The source does not state an award minimum, award maximum, total program funding amount, expected number of awards, required matching contribution, cost share percentage, or other detailed spending restrictions. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, entities recognized under section 501(c)(3), and local government units that develop training programs and partner with biotechnology or life science companies to deploy those programs in response to local or regional needs. For profit entities are expressly ineligible to apply. The source does not provide more detailed definitions of eligible local government units or specify organizational size, operating history, minimum capacity, or other applicant qualifications beyond the stated eligibility and partnership requirements. The Life Sciences Paths Program is not currently accepting applications. DCED states that the program will open once sufficient funds for Innovate in PA 2.0 have been raised and directs prospective applicants to check the Innovate in PA 2.0 webpage for status updates. The supplied source does not identify an application portal, application open date, application deadline, pre application requirement, letter of intent, concept paper, application questions, required attachments, evaluation criteria, or award notification schedule. Because no recurring schedule or fixed annual application cycle is stated, no future deadline or recurrence can be calculated from the supplied information. The source likewise does not provide a performance period, award duration, named program contact, program specific email address, or program specific telephone number. A general DCED contact mechanism is available through the agency website, and the page displays the agency telephone number 866.466.3972, but no individual grantor contact is identified. Prospective applicants should monitor the Innovate in PA 2.0 status information because the opening of the Life Sciences Paths Program is expressly dependent on sufficient Innovate in PA 2.0 funds being raised. Until that condition is met and DCED announces an application period, the opportunity remains unavailable for application submission.

Develop a training program in partnership with biotechnology or life science companies and demonstrate how it responds to local or regional needs. Align proposed activities with career preparedness, short term work readiness, entry level employment, or advancement of the life sciences industry. Address missing essential skills for entry level applicants and consider the program emphasis on youth, students from all backgrounds, and populations facing barriers to employment.