The Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences, a national industry group led by the P.E.I. BioAlliance and headquartered in its Charlottetown biomanufacturing incubator, is launching a national upskilling program for biomanufacturing, along with a training facility in Montreal.

The upskilling initiative, called CASTL Elevate, is the first in a planned series of programs offered under partnerships with Upskill Canada, part of national nonprofit Palette Skills, and is being paid for with funding from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Upskilling for Industry Initiative.

The 10-week program will help prepare up to 400 participants for technical roles in the biomanufacturing industry via a mix of self-directed and instructor-led components.

CASTL is a partnership between academia, industry and government that specializes in training workers for the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry, using curriculums created by Irish industry group the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training. The organization has also previously partnered with Vancouver’s adMare BioInnovations to offer a national slate of technical training programs for prospective life sciences workers.

“CASTL is thrilled to present this new training program that will bring industry-informed skills and training to develop a much-needed talent pool for Canada’s fast-growing biomanufacturing sector,” said executive director Penny Walsh-McGuire in a statement.

The facility in Montreal, meanwhile, was funded by the Quebec government to the tune of $2.5 million and is aimed at addressing a shortfall of life sciences workers in the province that BioTalent Canada estimates could reach 15,500 people by 2029.  Nationally, BioTalent Canada projects that shortfall to be closer to 65,000.