Liberation Labs and Ivy Tech Community College partner to train biomanufacturing workforce of the future

Liberation Labs and Ivy Tech Community College in Richmond, Indiana, USA, are developing a new biomanufacturing workforce training program specifically to equip future employees of the company with the required skills to work in precision fermentation. The goal will be to ensure that approximately 30 people are trained and ready to work in the plant when operations commence later this year.

Liberation Labs is currently constructing a commercial-scale, purpose-built, precision fermentation biomanufacturing facility with a capacity of 600,000 liters and a fully dedicated downstream process (DSP). The plant will produce bio-based proteins and other building block ingredients at a scale and cost that will fill a pressing need among both new and established consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies and other industrial manufacturers.

The curriculum and training will cover biotechnology fundamentals, fermentation fundamentals, biomanufacturing best practices, quality, compliance, and health and safety. The program will include classroom training, laboratory-based training, online training, and eventually onsite training at the Liberation Labs facility. Liberation Labs expects to begin hiring in spring of 2024, with training expected to start prior to bringing employees on-site in late summer.

“We’re able to leverage Ivy Tech’s deep experience in custom workforce education in order to train an already impressive regional workforce in the specific skills needed to work in the next generation of manufacturing,” commented Mark Warner, Co-founder & CEO of Liberation Labs. “Best of all, we will open up new career opportunities in biomanufacturing for workers in the region, while Ivy Tech can deepen their specialization in biotechnology – it’s a real investment in the future for all.”

Although the Richmond and broader Indiana workforce is experienced in many different types of manufacturing, the processes at Liberation Labs facility are unique and require specialized knowledge and skills. To develop the curriculum, Liberation Labs technical team members will collaborate with Ivy Tech curriculum designers and instructors to fuse the specialized skills needed for the plant with Ivy Tech’s proven expertise with training and education.

“We take great pride in offering our students not just training – but opportunity and promise for a successful career,” added Chad Bolser, Chancellor, Richmond Campus at Ivy Tech Community College. “We are so excited that Liberation Labs chose Richmond for their manufacturing site and are grateful for their continued investment in the community and the local workforce. Together, we will all benefit.”