NPR Station Highlights Northeastern’s Microcredential Training for Life Sciences Careers
WBUR, Boston’s NPR station, recently featured a story on the rising use of “microcredentials” to prepare workers for in-demand roles in the life sciences industry. The report spotlighted Northeastern University’s Pathmaker program, an eight-week training at the university’s Innovation Campus in Burlington that provides participants with hands-on lab experience and industry-recognized certifications.
The WBUR segment, reported by Zeninjor Enwemeka, profiled graduates like Alisha Hines, a former customer service employee from Methuen who completed the program to transition into biomanufacturing. Through Pathmaker, Hines earned two microcredentials—one in lab safety and another in aseptic technique—which she hopes will help her secure an entry-level position as a lab technician or manufacturing associate.
The story highlighted that the life sciences sector is expected to need thousands of new workers over the next decade, many for positions that do not require a traditional four-year degree. Microcredentials—verified through organizations such as the Bioscience Core Skills Institute—serve as proof of specific technical abilities and can be displayed as digital badges on résumés and LinkedIn profiles.
Jared Auclair, dean of Northeastern’s College of Professional Studies and director of the university’s biopharmaceutical analysis training lab, told WBUR that he supports a shift toward skills-based hiring. Auclair, who helped form the Massachusetts Microcredential Coalition, said, “A lot of the work in the life sciences, you don’t need a degree to do.”
The report also featured Jonathan Kibirige, who moved to the U.S. from Uganda earlier this year. After earning microcredentials in aseptic technique and pipetting through Pathmaker, he secured a one-year contract as an associate at healthcare manufacturer Lonza. His success story underscored how microcredentials can help newcomers break into the industry.
While WBUR noted that employer adoption of microcredentials has been slow, the story pointed to growing interest among companies and educators. Programs like Pathmaker are seen as a way to address workforce gaps, provide access to well-paying jobs—where entry-level roles can start at $25 an hour—and diversify the life sciences talent pipeline.
Read or listen to WBUR segment here.
