Bioscience Core Skills Institute

Carolina is excited to support Bioscience Core Skills Institute (BCSI) in connecting students to the skills, knowledge, and certifications requested by industry partners for entering the biotechnology workforce. BCSI gives students an opportunity to earn microcredentials, which are useful for demonstrating skills to employers.

To help students unlock their potential, BCSI:

Offers practical skills assessments, either on-site or at a third-party location, that focus on the abilities employers need.
Certifies and trains microcredential evaluators, to maintain the standards of excellence represented by all students who have earned a microcredential.
Utilizes digitally archived microcredentials, making it easy for students to share them on resumes and platforms such as LinkedIn® and SmartResume®.

What Are Microcredentials and Why Are They Important for Students Today?

Microcredentials are certifications that accurately, reliably document an essential competency. The focus is on industry-specific skills rather than completion of a comprehensive program. This targeted approach allows students and employees to acquire abilities directly aligned with skills-based hiring and employment practices. Especially in the biosciences sector, possessing a credential in areas such as aseptic technique, small volume metrology, and standard operating procedures can prepare students for rapid entry into the workforce.

A Testimonial

Oscar Ramirez represents one of many success stories of students engaged with BCSI microcredentials. After learning about BCSI microcredentials and earning Safety – Hazard Assessment and Small Volume Metrology credentials, he listed them on his resume and obtained an entry-level position as a Quality Control Microbiology Technician for MilliporeSigma.

“The industry wants people with experience, and that does not always come with a college degree, especially if someone does not have lab experience. Sometimes, I know people with degrees don’t want entry-level positions,” Oscar said. “My experience is I learned a lot in my entry-level position about lab operations, and that really showed me that I wanted a career in this area.”

Oscar Ramirez

MilliporeSigma

Carolina and BCSI

Carolina strives to support the work of BCSI and students like Oscar towards the obtainment of employment in the sciences for all students, regardless of their academic backgrounds.

To accomplish this, Carolina:

1. Providing BCSI evaluators with the materials needed to perform and evaluate microcredential assessments. If you are an evaluator, select your needed evaluation kit(s) from the following list:

Replenish components for the BCSI complete Microcredential testing kit you received when completing your training with the following lists
BCSI Documentation and SOP Credential Evaluation Kit (item# 213421)
BCSI Small Volume Metrology Credential Evaluation Kit (item# 213422)
BCSI Aseptic Technique: Lab Bench Level Credential Evaluation Kit (item# 213423)

2. Develops, and continue to develop, educational kits that support students and teachers to master the skills evaluated by BCSI credentials. Below is a selection of our growing list of kits that support student obtainment of the essential five BCSI microcredentials.

carolina kits by skill for

BCSI Microcredentials

SMALL VOLUME METROLOGY Microcredential

Kits that support the skills and knowledge for the SMALL VOLUME METROLOGY Microcredential

Bacterial Transformations Kits

BioTechBuilder Modules 1, 2, and 3

BioTechBuilder is a proven program that prepares students for careers in biotechnology by combing a comprehensive curriculum with industry-recognized certifications and hands-on learning.
Small Volume Metrology is featured and supported in the following units and topics
Module 1: Lab Skills

Topic 2: Making Solutions.

Module 2: Foundations

Topic 4: Analyzing DNA
Topic 5: Analyzing Proteins

Module 3: Applications

Topic 6: Biomanufacturing
Topic 7: Synthetic Biology

ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE: LAB BENCH LEVEL Microcredential

Kits that support the skills and knowledge for the ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE: LAB BENCH LEVEL Microcredential

Bacterial Transformations Kits

BioTechBuilder Modules 1 and 3

BioTechBuilder is a proven program that prepares students for careers in biotechnology by combing a comprehensive curriculum with industry-recognized certifications and hands-on learning.
Aseptic Technique is featured and supported in the following units and topics
Module 1: Lab Skills

Topic 3: Growing Cells.

Module 3: Applications

Topic 6: Biomanufacturing
Topic 7: Synthetic Biology

DOCUMENTATION & SOP Microcredential

Kits that support the skills and knowledge for the DOCUMENTATION AND SOP Microcredential

BioTechBuilder Module 3

BioTechBuilder is a proven program that prepares students for careers in biotechnology by combing a comprehensive curriculum with industry-recognized certifications and hands-on learning.
Documentation and SOP is featured and supported in the following units and topics
Module 3: Applications

Topic 6: Biomanufacturing

SAFETY - HAZARD ASSESSMENT Microcredential

Kits that support the skills and knowledge for the SAFETY: HAZARD ASSESSMENT Microcredential

BioTechBuilder Module 1

Topic 1: Building a Solid Foundation

NUMERACY Microcredential

Kits that support the skills and knowledge for the NUMERACY Microcredential

BioTechBuilder Modules 2 and 3

BioTechBuilder is a proven program that prepares students for careers in biotechnology by combing a comprehensive curriculum with industry-recognized certifications and hands-on learning.
Numeracy is featured and supported in the following units and topics
Module 2: Foundations

Topic 4: Analyzing DNA
Topic 5: Analyzing Proteins

Module 3: Applications

Topic 6: Biomanufacturing
Topic 7: Synthetic Biology

PREPARATION OF SOLUTIONS Microcredential

Kits that support the skills and knowledge for the preparation of solutions Microcredential

BioTechBuilder Modules 1, 2, and 3

BioTechBuilder is a proven program that prepares students for careers in biotechnology by combing a comprehensive curriculum with industry-recognized certifications and hands-on learning.
Preparation of solutions is featured and supported in the following units and topics
Module 1: Lab Skills

Topic 2: Making Solutions.

Module 2: Foundations

Topic 4: Analyzing DNA
Topic 5: Analyzing Proteins

Module 3: Applications

Topic 6: Biomanufacturing
Topic 7: Synthetic Biology

QUANTITATIVE SKILLS Microcredential

Kits that support the skills and knowledge for the quantitive skills 1 Microcredential

BioTechBuilder Modules 1, 2, and 3

BioTechBuilder is a proven program that prepares students for careers in biotechnology by combing a comprehensive curriculum with industry-recognized certifications and hands-on learning.
Quantitative Lab Skills 1 is featured and supported in the following units and topics
Module 1: Lab Skills

Topic 2: Making Solutions.
Topic 3: Growing Cells

Module 2: Foundations

Topic 4: Analyzing DNA
Topic 5: Analyzing Proteins

Module 3: Applications

Topic 6: Biomanufacturing
Topic 7: Synthetic Biology

INSTRUMENTATION pH Microcredential

Kits that support the skills and knowledge for the Instrumentation: pH Microcredential

BioTechBuilder Module 1

BioTechBuilder is a proven program that prepares students for careers in biotechnology by combing a comprehensive curriculum with industry-recognized certifications and hands-on learning.
Instrumentation: pH is featured and supported in the following units and topics
Module 1: Lab Skills

Topic 2: Making Solutions.

CELL DENSITY: HEMOCYTOMETER Microcredential

Kits that support the skills and knowledge for the Cell Density: Hemocytometer Microcredential

BioTechBuilder Module 3

BioTechBuilder is a proven program that prepares students for careers in biotechnology by combing a comprehensive curriculum with industry-recognized certifications and hands-on learning.
Cell Density: Hemocytometer is featured and supported in the following units and topics
Module 3: Applications