Program Overview
As part of an ongoing and strategic effort to support the development of a diverse workforce talent pipeline for the life sciences industry, the MLSC partnered with MassBio, MassBioEd, Life Science Cares, and Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives (MBI) to launch Project Onramp. The program creates paid summer internships for Massachusetts college students who are under-resourced and often first-generation, helping to bridge the opportunity gap for these promising young people. Project Onramp also provides wraparound training and support for interns and their supervisors.
A primary Project Onramp partner is Bottom Line, a nationally acclaimed nonprofit that helps students from low-income backgrounds get into college and successfully graduate. Bottom Line provides our Life Science Scholars with one-on-one support every step of the way. Project Onramp also partners with Thrive Scholars and Minds Matter Boston, which are non-profits giving high-achieving, low-income students the opportunities they need to thrive at top colleges, and in meaningful careers.
Eligibility & Evaluation
Participating life sciences companies with 100 employees or fewer are eligible to apply for reimbursement of up to $9,600 per intern (up to two) through the MLSC Internship Challenge. Host organizations and interns must meet all of the same eligibility requirements and must submit all of the same documentation as required under the Internship Challenge.
Resources
Impact on the Ecosystem
Diversity is key to our state’s competitiveness and the MLSC is proud to work alongside the industry to ensure the sciences become more inclusive. Project Onramp is breaking down barriers and facilitating students on a pathway to success—while helping life sciences companies build a more diverse talent pipeline for the growing needs of the industry. These internship opportunities serve as a stepping-stone to a rewarding career for a talent pool that has typically had difficulty gaining access to the life science industry. The program will give the students – many of them the first in their families to attend college – hands-on experience and a valuable start towards a career in biotechnology. It will also help growing Massachusetts life sciences companies fill the positions anticipated across the industry. In its first five years, the program facilitated 587 internships with more than 140 different companies.
Connect with us to Learn More
If you have any questions, please email Lila Neel, Project Onramp Manager with Life Sciences Cares, at Lila@lifesciencecares.org.
