Life Sciences Industry Talent Association
Join life sciences employers across Indiana in developing the skilled talent your industry needs to grow.
A Life Sciences Talent Pipeline Built by Employers
Indiana’s life sciences industry is growing, and employers need a reliable pipeline of people with the technical skills to succeed in highly specialized, regulated environments. The Life Sciences Industry Talent Association brings employers together through INCAP to address those needs collectively.
Led by BioCrossroads, the Life Sciences ITA gives employers a direct role in identifying priority occupations, defining the skills and competencies they require, and shaping the education and training that prepares people for those roles.
Employers participate to:
- Build a stronger pipeline of locally trained talent
- Develop shared training standards around the skills their industry needs
- Help shape occupations and training before they reach the workforce
- Access industry-specific education and training plans rather than developing them independently
Turning Employer Demand Into Programs
The Life Sciences ITA brings employers together to identify shared workforce needs and develop occupations that prepare talent for the technical demands of Indiana’s growing life sciences industry. Employers help determine which occupations should be prioritized, define the skills and competencies those occupations require, and shape the education and training that prepares participants to succeed in highly regulated life sciences environments.
- Life Sciences Operator is the first occupation being developed through the Life Sciences ITA, with the Apprenticeship Program planned to launch for the 2027–28 school year. The ITA is also exploring two to three additional occupations for 2028 and beyond.
- Don’t see the occupation your organization needs? The ITA’s work is driven by employer demand. Contact the Life Sciences ITA to share your workforce needs and help identify future occupations for development.
Available in 2027: Life Sciences Operator
Life Sciences Operator is a three-year Apprenticeship Program for students beginning in 11th grade that prepares them for a foundational role in life sciences manufacturing through industry-designed education and paid, hands-on workplace experience.
The Workforce Need
Life sciences employers have identified Life Sciences Operator as a foundational occupation that is vital to continued industry growth. Employers report difficulty finding talent with the right technical skills in the geographic areas where they need workers, as well as turnover among employees who enter these highly regulated environments without a strong understanding of the work and its requirements.
Aging populations add to the workforce challenge, increasing the importance of developing a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers as Indiana’s life sciences sector continues to grow.
The Solution
The Life Sciences Operator Apprenticeship Program gives employers access to talent prepared through a consistent, industry-designed training standard. Apprentices learn the technical skills and regulatory requirements employers have identified as essential for the occupation, including Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), safety requirements, and quality standards.
Depending on the employer, workplace training may include material preparation, manufacturing processes, equipment operation, packaging, testing samples, monitoring manufacturing processes, and other production activities.
The Career Pathway
Participants completing the Apprenticeship Program earn an INCAP Life Sciences Credential that includes Ivy Tech Community College’s 18-credit Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Certificate. The certificate can stack toward Ivy Tech’s Associate of Applied Science (AAS) and Associate of Science (AS) in Biotechnology, providing a foundation for continued education, skill development, and career advancement.
The Life Sciences Operator Apprenticeship Program prepares participants for positions such as Manufacturing Operator, Production Technician, and Biomanufacturing Operator.
Charter Members of the Life Sciences ITA
Ten life sciences companies have joined the ITA to help shape industry-aligned education and training. Eli Lilly and Company, Novartis, and RayzeBio, a Bristol Myers Squibb Company, joined as founding members.
Why Build Your Talent Pipeline Through INCAP?
A Shared Model Makes It Easier to Develop Talent
Building specialized training independently takes time, expertise, and resources. Through the Life Sciences ITA, employers work together to define common workforce needs and create industry-specific occupations, competencies, and training plans that participating companies can put to work.
Employers can:
- Spend less time building training from scratch by accessing industry-specific education and training plans developed around shared employer needs
- Help reduce recruiting and onboarding costs by developing a pipeline of people who already have relevant education, workplace experience, and exposure to highly regulated life sciences environments
- Shape training before talent reaches your workplace by defining the skills, competencies, and standards that programs should teach
- Share the work of developing talent by collaborating with other life sciences employers and education partners
- Help determine what comes next by identifying workforce needs and influencing future occupations
Access a New Talent Pipeline
Life Sciences ITA members gain access to a new pipeline of local talent being prepared specifically for life sciences occupations. Participants gain relevant technical education and substantial workplace experience before completing the program, giving employers an opportunity to develop employees around their workforce needs and evaluate long-term fit.
Your Role as an Employer Partner
Help Shape Industry Training
Life Sciences ITA members help identify priority occupations, define the skills and competencies employers need, and shape training standards that reflect the realities of life sciences workplaces.
Provide the Workplace Experience
Employers that host Life Sciences Operator apprentices provide paid employment and hands-on experience within their organizations, giving participants the opportunity to apply their education and training in real life sciences manufacturing environments.
Invest in Talent Development
Employers interested in participating must become members of the Life Sciences ITA. Employer investment includes:
- ITA Membership: The ITA offers two membership tiers — membership and founding membership — providing opportunities to participate in and help shape the ITA’s work
- Per-Apprentice Annual Fee: Host employers pay an annual fee for each apprentice. This covers program design and implementation support, curriculum development, apprentice training, student recruitment and wraparound services, reporting and data collection, and other related services and support provided by the ITA and regional INCAP Connectors
- Apprentice Compensation: Employers pay apprentices while they gain experience and contribute in the workplace
Contact the Life Sciences ITA for current costs.
10
Life Sciences ITA Members
2-3
Additional Occupations Being Explored for 2028 and Beyond
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Employers Expected to Host Apprentices in 2027
Questions About Employer Participation
Ready to Strengthen Your Talent Pipeline?
BioCrossroads leads the Life Sciences Industry Talent Association. Contact the ITA to learn about membership, explore opportunities to host Life Sciences Operator apprentices, or help identify and shape future INCAP life sciences occupations.
Melanie Vuynovich
Senior Director of Workforce Development-Life Sciences, BioCrossroads
Email Melanie | Visit the Life Sciences ITA at BioCrossroads