The Innovation Crescent is internationally recognized as a unique hub of life science talent and is a regional coalition dedicated to supporting the future growth of Georgia’s life sciences. It is comprised of 13 economic development entities and Chambers of Commerce with the following goals:

• Expand existing life science industries
• Align education and workforce development resources to support the life science industry cluster
• Grow high-wage jobs.

The Innovation Crescent was named an Innovation Award winner (PDF) by the National Association of Development Organizations, a nation trade association of 500+ regional development agencies.

More information can be found in the Innovation Crescent brochure (Flash) or at the Geogia BioScience Technology Institute.

In 2006, the state, in partnership with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, initiated the Work Ready Program to link workforce development, economic development, industry and education together and align them to the economic needs of the state and its communities.

With funding through the Governor's Office of Workforce Development, the Innovation Crescent Work Ready Region was organized to

• Develop Certified Work Ready communities
• Establishment career pathway to supply trained workers
• Development an Industry Network that would identify occupations in demand in the bioscience and work with education to assure that education was preparing a trained workforce for their companies.

Bioscience technologies require a specialized workforce, manufacturing procedures and facilities and specialized training and education. ARC, Georgia Bio and school system science directors collaborated on the development of a biotechnology/bioscience curriculum for high schools and bioscience tasks for middle schools. As of May 2011, more than 700 students are enrolled in bioscience career pathway curriculum in more than 23 high schools throughout the region.

All participating schools receive specialized training for teachers and specialized biotechnology equipment as a part of the program. Two additional schools outside the region are also utilizing the bioscience curriculum and participated in the teacher academies. A recent Bioscience Student Created a Fish Vaccine for Department of Natural Resources.

At the post-secondary level, the Innovation Crescent initiative includes a partnership with the Georgia Bioscience Technology Institute (GBTI), a collaborative effort between Athens Technical College and Gwinnett Technical College, ARC and the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission. GBTI has established a new bioscience technology program at Gwinnett Technical College, significantly increased outreach and recruitment efforts for both colleges and established a high school outreach program comprised of summer teacher academies, equipment loans and teacher support throughout the region.

The Work Ready grants also helped establish an Industry Network that functions as a committee under Georgia Bio. It provides an established and sustained partnership between business, education and workforce partners. Members include Sciele Pharma, UCB, Inc., Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Merial, Immucor, the Centers for Disease Control, Emory University, CryoLife, Quintiles, Noramco (J&J), Aderans Research, Altea Therapeutics and Elan Pharmaceuticals. The network is charged with connecting the region’s workforce strategy with industry needs, particularly in filling the pipeline for critical industry occupations. It has identified bioscience technicians, quality assurance auditors and regulatory specialists as their key occupational needs. Joint recruitment, incumbent worker training and partnerships with education for company internships are current outcomes. The Innovation Crescent provides staff assistance to continue expansion of the industry network in the region. Since the launch of the Work Ready initiative in the Innovation Crescent, more than 45,000 individuals have earned Work Ready certificates. Five counties have earned Work Ready Community certification; the Innovation Crescent leadership team is assisting the remaining eight in implementing strategies to achieve certification by December 2012.

Within the Innovation Crescent, chambers and economic development entities came together to form the Innovation Crescent Regional Partnership (ICRP) to brand the Innovation Crescent and market it both nationally and internationally. The partnership has created a website www.innovationcrescent.com, collateral materials and videos, and has used social media such as You Tube, Facebook and Twitter. Members from the area have traveled to Boston and as far as China to market the Innovation Crescent as a region – not individual counties. The chambers have now formed a 501c3 organization to market the Innovation Crescent and represented the crescent at Bio International 2010 which was held in Chicago.

ARC and Georgia Bio presented a workshop at the Bio International Conference in 2009 on establishing regional cooperation as well as models developed by the project. To sustain the educational component, partners have submitted a proposal to the National Science Foundation for an Advance Technological Education Center of Excellence award to extend curricula, programs and models already created by GBTI in the Innovation Crescent to life science hubs in Augusta and Valdosta, Georgia. This strategy will replicate elements of the successful GBTI partnership, while embracing and incorporating essential regional differences.