College, Firm Plan Biotech Program

Hoping to train workers for one of Ventura County’s growing industries, officials at Moorpark College and Baxter Healthcare Corp. are creating a new biotechnology program at the school.

The idea, first suggested by Baxter executives several years ago, is still in its early stages, said Floyd Martin, the school’s dean of math, science and engineering. But the two institutions hope to piece together a curriculum by May and launch the program during the fall.

The program will give students the skills they need to work at both Baxter’s Newbury Park facility and other biotech firms. Preliminary ideas for the program include internships and on-site training at Baxter.

Moorpark College President James Walker described the program as a way to help an important local industry train its future work force.

“One thing that community colleges can do very well is respond quickly to needs,” he said.

Ventura College already has a biotechnology program created with the help of Amgen in Thousand Oaks, Walker said. Although Moorpark College officials had considered creating such a program before, the school lacked a full-time biochemist to help teach it.

The school has now hired a biochemistry instructor who will help assemble the new program, Walker said.