Advocates for a workforce training center meant to prepare people of color for careers in an area where they are under-represented – the Commonwealth’s bio-tech sector – celebrated the opening last Thursday (Jan. 4) of a 4,000-square-foot space for that purpose inside Southline Boston, the former Boston Globe building on Morrissey Boulevard.

The program, entitled Bioversity, a partnership with the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and Mass Bio, a trade group that is funding the effort, admitted its first cohort of 20 students to their eight-week certificate training course this week on Monday (Jan. 8).

Of this group, 16 are Boston residents and 4 are from Dorchester, including 26- year-old Audrey Browning, who told the Reporter, “I like that we got the opportunity to use this brand-new space and hearing how much was put into it and all the donations, that’s super sweet. “I’m so proud of Boston and MassBio and everyone else who put this together and I am so thankful. The fact that it’s the first cohort, I love that. This is a great opportunity for me and everyone else.”

Audrey Browning, of Dorchester, was one of the students selected in the first cohort to take classes at Bioversity in the new Southline campus on Morrissey Boulevard. There were four students from Dorchester and two from Mattapan in the 20-person class. Seth Daniel photo

Elected officials past and present were on hand for the opening of the state-of-the-art lab and classroom space. Attendees heard from Zach Stanley, the executive director of Bioversity and Lauren Jones, who leads the Executive Office of Workforce Development for Gov. Healey. She called Bioversity “a great opportunity to provide pathways for our diverse talent that are often overlooked in industries like the life sciences.”

Stanley said that the Dorchester center will fill a critical need in the state’s economy. “If you look at the data MassBio put out there, the DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) report at the end of last year shows that minority populations, especially Black and Brown, are extremely underrepresented in life sciences companies right now,” he said.

“I think a lot of that comes down to it’s not that people aren’t qualified or aren’t good employees or anything like that; it’s that they are not getting the opportunities or the visibility into what these jobs are.”

All of the students in the first class identify as Black/African American or Hispanic, with 58 percent women. In other categories, 94 percent hold only a high school degree or some college, 26 percent are unemployed, and 52 percent are employed part-time.

“Together, they are an amazing, eager, motivated group,” said Stanley. “The one thing that binds them together is that they took a chance on Bioversity.”

He emphasized: “We aren’t trying to reach just anyone. We are making a dedicated effort to include people who have traditionally been left out of the life science industry.”

Philip Lam, left, and Mary Kaysen, right, of Bristol Myers Squibb, with Bioversity Director Zach Stanley, center. Seth Daniel photo

The diversity of the cohort correlates with the diversity of the surrounding neighborhood. Stanley and his team hope to see many Bostonians, and specifically Dorchester residents, apply in the future.

“When we think about Bioversity in particular, our priority is finding people from Dorchester to go through this program.” he said. “If they can walk here that’s a dream. To take part in our training program and get a job at a company that’s in this building or in the future development in Seaport, that is really what we’re aiming to do here.”

Browning, who was one of 150 applicants for the first class, very much appreciates having this opportunity right in her neighborhood.

“Not everybody drives so being able to take the bus and walk a short distance from the T station or the bus stops makes it super convenient for everyone,” she said. “I love that you don’t have to travel to another city or get on the highway anywhere. The fact that it’s right down the street from me made me super excited.”

Since construction got underway last summer, Stanley and his team have not only built out a special space for their students, they have also “done a huge amount of legwork in continuing to build relationships in and around the community of Dorchester so that people know that we exist but also that we’re an entity they can trust,” he said.

“If they’re going to apply to be part of this program, they can be assured that they’re going to get good training, ultimately helping them find a full-time job at the end of this program,” he added.

Former Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry, Reporter co-publisher, Catherine O’Neill, and State Rep. Chris Worrell. Seth Daniel photo

While the specific goals of each student are likely to vary a great deal, they all know that this program will improve their futures.
“A goal that I have after graduation is being able to either further my education or apply for new opportunities,” said Browning. “The fact that I graduated will give me more opportunities for great jobs and to be accepted into other programs.”

Bioversity will continue to support the students after graduation, and so will the city of Boston, said Mike Firestone, who represented Mayor Wu at the event.

“To the students: You are pioneers you are doing something really important, and you are role models. Mayor Wu offers you her congratulations. We are deeply committed to your careers,” said Firestone, who is Wu’s chief of Policy and Strategic Planning. 
The second cohort will start classes on March 11. In all, Bioversity plans to train 100 people in 2024 and place them into entry-level jobs. 

“Anyone we didn’t accept in this first cohort that we think might be a good fit for future cohorts we want to stay in touch with,” said Stanley. “We know life circumstances can change very quickly but anyone who has applied, we want to give as much of an opportunity if we think they could be a good fit.” 

Bioversity is the latest tenant to open inside the 700,000 square-foot Southline complex at 135 Morrissey Blvd. Flagship Pioneering, a biotech venture firm, and Nobull, a sportswear company are already up and running there.

Dorchester is expected to become home to more life science enterprises in the coming years, with the nearby Dorchester Bay City identified as another business hub.