Future-Ready: Strengthening Canada’s Biomanufacturing Workforce

The Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL) is Canada’s biomanufacturing training partner, dedicated to developing skilled talent to drive the country’s thriving biomanufacturing sector. With state-of-the-art, GMP-simulated facilities from coast to coast (in Charlottetown, PE; Montreal, QC; and Vancouver, BC), CASTL delivers hands-on, industry-informed training alongside flexible online learning. As Canada’s exclusive provider of National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) programs, CASTL offers world-class education with support from adMare BioInnovations and its adMare Academy, shaping the next generation of life sciences professionals.

Canada’s biomanufacturing sector is on the rise, but its growth depends on a skilled and adaptable workforce. In this guest post, CASTL shares key insights from its latest report, Future-Ready: Developing Key Competencies for Canada’s Biomanufacturing Workforce, developed in collaboration with BioTalent Canada and Future Skills Centre.

Based on feedback from 50 biomanufacturing employers across the country, the report highlights critical skill gaps, industry training challenges, and the solutions needed to strengthen Canada’s biomanufacturing workforce. Whether you're a biotech startup scaling up from an incubator or an established company looking to refine your training strategies, these insights will help you build a team ready to meet the evolving demands of the industry.

Read on to explore how targeted training programs and industry collaboration can position Canada’s biomanufacturing sector for long-term success.

Closing the Skills Gap

A major challenge identified in the report is the gap between academic training and industry needs. Many new hires, particularly recent graduates from life sciences programs, lack hands-on experience and familiarity with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). While theoretical knowledge is strong, extensive on-the-job training is often required to bridge this gap.

According to the survey, the top six competencies sought by employers include:

• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) (80%)
• Laboratory skills and techniques (70%)
• Manufacturing and production techniques (64%)
• Documentation and reporting (60%)
• Hands-on technical experience in regulated sectors (58%)
• Quality control and assurance (58%)

For biotech companies at the graduation stage - scaling from incubators into full production - this highlights the importance of equipping teams with both theoretical and practical skills. Investing in specialized training ensures a smoother transition from R&D to manufacturing, helping companies accelerate commercialization and meet regulatory standards from day one.

Training as a Competitive Advantage

The Future-Ready report underscores that investing in workforce development is more than an operational necessity—it’s a strategic advantage. Companies with robust training programs not only enhance operational efficiency but also improve product quality, reduce compliance risks, and increase employee retention.

To meet the growing need for practical skills, forward-thinking organizations are adopting innovative training models such as:

• Self-directed online learning, allowing employees to build foundational knowledge at their own pace.

• Hands-on workshops, providing immersive training in cleanroom protocols and biomanufacturing processes.

• Customized training packages, tailored to company-specific needs for maximum relevance and impact.

• Industry-led mentorship programs, pairing new hires with experienced professionals to accelerate skill development.

For early-stage biotech companies, establishing structured training early can drive faster scaling and improve readiness for regulatory audits, giving them a competitive edge.

Overcoming Barriers to Training

Despite the clear benefits, many companies—especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—struggle to implement comprehensive training programs due to:

• Cost constraints, making it difficult to allocate budgets for specialized training.

• Time limitations, as startups and scale-ups focus on product development and commercialization.

• Limited availability of specialized programs, particularly in emerging fields such as cell and gene therapy.

Government-subsidized training initiatives, industry collaborations, and resource-sharing models can help overcome these barriers, ensuring that biotech startups have access to the workforce development tools they need.

A Call for Collaboration

To build a future-ready biomanufacturing workforce, collaboration between industry, academia, and policymakers is essential. The report outlines key recommendations, including:

• Expanding access to hands-on GMP and laboratory training through short, intensive courses and simulation-based learning.

• Strengthening industry-academia partnerships to align curricula with real-world biomanufacturing demands.

• Developing reskilling programs for workers transitioning from adjacent industries, such as pharmaceuticals and food manufacturing.

• Encouraging government and private sector investment in biomanufacturing training to support workforce sustainability.

• Promoting targeted outreach to attract new talent to biomanufacturing careers.

Looking Ahead

The Future-Ready report provides a roadmap for strengthening Canada’s biomanufacturing workforce, ensuring that companies, especially those scaling up, have access to the talent and training they need to thrive. By prioritizing workforce development today, Canada can position itself as a global leader in biomanufacturing innovation.

Download the complete Future-Ready report and explore CASTL’s training programs
today.