By Katrina Rogers
Health and Life Sciences has long been a core industry in Spokane. Existing companies in health care, health IT, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and diagnostics employ 47,450 people in the region, and the sector is rapidly growing. Career opportunities abound, yet the diversity of health and life sciences career roles can make choosing one a daunting task. Exploring and experiencing job opportunities, requirements and role models during high school helps students make meaningful and informed choices to launch their careers. GSI has partnered with WSU Health Sciences Spokane and Project Lead The Way (PLTW), a nationally recognized PreK-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum provider, to establish these career launch opportunities in the biomedical sciences. Career launch programs in Washington introduce students to career and college pathways through a mix of education and meaningful on-the-job work experiences.
PLTW Biomedical Science programs are well established in our regional school districts and students from these programs succeed in both industry and academe. The partnership introduces these students to a range of career choices with local industry partners like Jubilant HollisterStier (manufacturers of sterile medicines), Providence Health Care, and Inland NW Health Services. Such decisions include entry-level positions for students choosing early career experiences and career growth opportunities for students choosing post-secondary education. We invite additional local health care and bioscience providers to join us in providing workforce experiences for these highly skilled high school students and to support our regional economic development in bio-industries.Â
For more information, contact Katrina Rogers.
