Doors and Foundations
Workforce Development
Investing in our local workforce to connect our neighbors to STEM careers.
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About Workforce Development
Our Workforce Development program connects Philadelphians to jobs at science and tech companies in University City and beyond. We’re committed to developing a strategic workforce development model that fits the needs of companies, strengthens the STEM talent pipeline, and benefits the community around us.
Apprenticeships and training models are a proven combination for the creation of job opportunities without obtaining a 4-year degree.
Traditionally, apprenticeships and training models focus on trade skills and encompass manufacturing, automotive, hospitality, and information technology. The Science Center is developing more opportunities for Philadelphia residents to attain family-sustaining careers in high-growth STEM industries.
Who is this program for?
Building an Understanding of Lab Basics (BULB)
BULB Participants Receive
A performance-based stipend
A laptop upon completion
A lab kit from eCLOSE Institute
STEM professional career mentor
Connections to employers looking for talent in STEM fields
Access to the LabXchange platform beyond the program
Curriculum design by
Sponsored by
Supported by
The U.S. Economic Development Administration and the Lenfest Foundation
Building an Understanding of Lab Basics
Program Benefits
Hands-on Training
We’ll share with you the basics of working in a lab from lab safety to microscopy and DNA/RNA isolation.
Career Exposure
Our curriculum is designed in partnership with STEM employers and is industry-informed. What you learn in our program are the foundational skills of actual jobs and real job opportunities.
Professional Connections
It’s not always what you know, it’s who you know. We’ll teach you the lab basics but we’ll also connect you with the people, including mentors and employers, who can help guide you into a STEM career.
Family-Sustaining Career Opportunities
Our goal is to connect you with meaningful employment. We’re not just here to get you a job, we’re here to ensure you’re connected with a career.
It is important that the work that takes place in the Science Center is accessible to and a part of the broader West Philadelphia community. Expanding job opportunities to include the diversity of the community works towards building inclusion and unity between the Science Center and the broader West Philadelphia community.
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