Manus, The BioAlternatives Company®, today announced a new BioMADE-supported initiative to close one of the bioeconomy's most pressing gaps: a skilled, domestic biomanufacturing operator workforce. The program will pilot structured apprenticeship training at Manus' large-scale BioFacility in Augusta, Ga., with academic input from the University of Georgia (UGA).

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This unique program will train apprentices directly on pilot-scale equipment and processes at Manus’ biomanufacturing facility. Hands-on training in a live production environment ensures apprentices graduate job-ready.

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"The biomanufacturing industry is growing, and the workforce needs to scale with it. This program puts apprentices directly on the plant floor, in a real production environment, and the curriculum we develop – drawing on UGA's expertise – can serve as a blueprint for the broader industry," says Christine Santos, Chief Technology Officer of Manus and member of the BioMADE Leadership Council. "A stronger operator pipeline benefits everyone – and building it is exactly the kind of work BioMADE was designed to catalyze. If the U.S. is serious about leading in biomanufacturing, that starts with investing in the workforce that makes it real – and bioalternatives possible."

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Building a blueprint for the nation

Manus will develop a transferable curriculum and implementation blueprint – informed by UGA's academic expertise – that BioMADE members and other bioindustrial manufacturers can adopt at facilities across the country, creating a replicable mechanism for workforce development at scale.

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The project was selected through BioMADE’s competitive project call and advances its mission to strengthen domestic bioindustrial manufacturing and grow a skilled U.S. manufacturing workforce.