This project addresses a pressing national need to develop a highly skilled biotechnology workforce capable of meeting the demands of rapidly evolving industries such as cell therapy and biomanufacturing. As the life sciences sector continues to expand, particularly in regional hubs like Frederick, Maryland, for example, there is growing urgency to train technicians who can support complex manufacturing, quality control, and regulatory processes. The project will prepare undergraduate and community college transfer students to meet these workforce demands by embedding hands-on, industry-aligned experiences into academic learning. It advances NSF’s mission by promoting the progress of science and technology, strengthening regional and national economic competitiveness, and supporting practice-based education in high-impact STEM fields. By aligning education with employer needs and evolving job roles, this initiative also helps address the changing nature of work in the biotechnology sector. Over a three-year period, the project will engage students from Hood College, Frederick Community College, and Hagerstown Community College in Frederick, Maryland. Students will enroll in two newly developed laboratory-intensive courses, one focused on cell therapy and the other on biomanufacturing. Topics include mammalian cell culture, gene editing with CRISPR-Cas9, microbial fermentation, protein purification, microscopy, flow cytometry, and GMP-compliant documentation. Courses will b