Diversity & Inclusion

Science Center is hosting its first cohort of free STEM workforce development training

The program will run for two weeks and connect students to mentors with industry connections who are looking to hire.

A 2015 lab in the University City Science Center. (Courtesy photo)

Late last year, we talked to Phil Brooks, the director of STEM workforce development at the University City Science Center, about his newly established role in creating a program for West Philadelphians.

Funded by a Lenfest Foundation grant, Brooks’ primary goal is to connect local residents to “life-sustaining” jobs that have long-term possibility, a high pay rate, benefits and opportunity for growth. And this week, applications for the first cohort of BULB: Building an Understanding of Lab Basics, a two-week, free virtual lab skills training program, opened up.

The program was built with insight from top STEM industry leaders about what skills and positions they’re currently looking for, Brooks said. The virtual training will allow participants to gain those skills currently sought after by local science and tech employers.

“It took some time to assess the workforce needs of local companies but we have a program we are confident will support with the building of specific skills desired in a lab environment,” Brooks told Technical.ly in an email.

The first cohort will be 12 students, he said, and it welcomes a variety of backgrounds. Interested applicants must be Philadelphia residents at least 18 years old, with a high school diploma or GED, an interest in STEM, with access to a computer and internet, and knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint.

The 12 students chosen for the program will receive a stipend, a lab kit from eCLOSE for hands-on training, a STEM professional mentor that will help connect to employers that are hiring and access to the LabXchange platform beyond the program.

The program aims to arm residents with the skills employers are currently looking for, and give students connections to people in STEM. Graduates will learn basic lab safety, microscopy, gel electrophoresis and DNA/RNA isolation, Brooks said — a small subset of skills employers of local companies said they were looking for right now.

BULB will run for two weeks, starting July 6, and interested parties have until June 29 at noon to apply for the program.

“We want to get the message across that you do not have to be a scientist, tech genius or have a four-year degree to work at a science or tech company or organization,” Brooks said.

Companies: University City Science Center

Before you go...

Please consider supporting Technical.ly to keep our independent journalism strong. Unlike most business-focused media outlets, we don’t have a paywall. Instead, we count on your personal and organizational support.

3 ways to support our work:
  • Contribute to the Journalism Fund. Charitable giving ensures our information remains free and accessible for residents to discover workforce programs and entrepreneurship pathways. This includes philanthropic grants and individual tax-deductible donations from readers like you.
  • Use our Preferred Partners. Our directory of vetted providers offers high-quality recommendations for services our readers need, and each referral supports our journalism.
  • Use our services. If you need entrepreneurs and tech leaders to buy your services, are seeking technologists to hire or want more professionals to know about your ecosystem, Technical.ly has the biggest and most engaged audience in the mid-Atlantic. We help companies tell their stories and answer big questions to meet and serve our community.
The journalism fund Preferred partners Our services
Engagement

Join our growing Slack community

Join 5,000 tech professionals and entrepreneurs in our community Slack today!

Trending

16 places to responsibly dispose of old electronics in Philadelphia

An interactive timeline of Philly’s tech ecosystem in 2024

How 5 orgs help local businesses achieve success

Expect high-speed internet at 100 Philly rec centers in 2025, Verizon says

Technically Media