For Pitt Community College student Heather Bass, the path to biotechnology enrollment and employment began with an interest in science and completion of a short-term BioWork certificate.

A Bath resident, the 33-year-old is working as a validation associate with Thermo Fisher Scientific as she completes credits for an associate degree in biotechnology from PCC. She says her goal is to eventually earn a four-year degree that expands her knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry and allows her to grow professionally with the Greenville biotech company.

“Science, in general, was always my favorite subject in school,” Bass says. “When I moved to Washington several years ago, I started working at a pharmacy as a technician and enjoyed that, but it wasn’t my passion. I’ve always been interested in how things are made and the processes that go into making medications.”

When Bass heard about PCC’s BioWork certificate, she signed up for the training and, in 13 weeks, developed skills to work as a process technician in biotechnology, pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing companies.

PCC’s biotech program features two career pathways: one for students wanting work in pharmaceutical manufacturing quality control and another for those seeking careers in research, forensics or other lab capacities requiring a four-year degree or higher.

For students like Bass, who want a bachelor’s degree, Pitt has established transfer agreements with East Carolina University (ECU) and UNC-Pembroke. Bass says she is planning to transfer into ECU’s Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology (Bioprocess Manufacturing Concentration) after completing her studies at Pitt.