OUR MICRO-CREDENTIALS
Bioscience Core Skills Institute (BCSI) offers authentic and validated practical skills assessment on-site or at a third-party location. In order to complete a skills assessment, customers will receive an inventory list of equipment needed for the assessment session (if any) and objectives by which the employees or students will be evaluated
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BCSI uses a digital archiving software to maintain the credentials and display them to potential employers. Digital credential information can be accessed by clicking on a graphic image, linking information about the objectives and description of mastery achieved, and date of credential assessment. Digital credentials can be displayed on platforms such as LinkedIn, SmartResume, or uploaded to websites. As the credentials are lines of code, they are portable to all electronic documents once awarded to the recipient.
After assessment, the recipient will receive communication from BCSI updating them on newly developed credentials, partnerships with industry, and reminders to renew their credential after the date of expiration. Renewal of credentials will be free for those who can show proof of practice or can be renewed with a reduced-cost, remote assessment.
ESSENTIAL FIVE CREDENTIALS
These five credentials are a stackable set ensuring that you are prepared for an entry-level position in the biotech industry. Our credentials are unique as we require a 3rd party evaluator to assess mastery of this skill in person before issuing this credential.
SAFETY: HAZARD ASSESSMENT
Lab safety is critical for a productive workplace. Industry partners highlight safety as an essential first skill that new employees must demonstrate. The lab safety-hazard assessment credential is for those wanting to demonstrate mastery of basic lab safety principles including how to identify safety concerns in an SOP, MSDS, and in a lab environment.
DOCUMENTATION AND SOP
Good documentation practice is an essential skill for technicians working in industry. This credential demonstrates mastery in navigation of an SOP (Standard Operating Procedure), ability to identify critical errors in an SOP, and perform a task using an SOP while completing a batch record. Our in person assessment ensures earners of this credential have appropriate training in SOP and documentation.
NUMERACY
Numeracy is critical for a safe and error-free laboratory. Numeracy represents skills needed in a biotechnology laboratory such as reasonableness, estimation of volumes and sizes, and unit conversions.
ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE: LAB BENCH LEVEL
Lab bench level aseptic technique emphasizes the preparation of a clean workspace, labelling, sterile transfer of liquids, and transfer of a microorganism from solid to liquid culture media. Earners of this credential have aseptic technique knowledge and awareness of creating a clean lab bench.
SMALL VOLUME METROLOGY
Accurate transfer of small volumes is an essential skill in the laboratory. This hands on assessment evaluates mastery of liquid transfer from 1 microliter to 25 milliliters. Earners of this credential are able to accurately select the appropriate transfer instrument (micropipette or serological pipette), consistently transfer the appropriate volume, and demonstrate volume awareness in selecting container size.
ADVANCED CREDENTIALS
LIGHT MICROSCOPY
Light microscopy is a foundational skill in the biological laboratory. This credential ensures mastery of specimen identification between 4x and 100x magnification in addition to safe and appropriate equipment handling.
CELL DENSITY: HEMOCYTOMETER
Determination of cell density is a necessary skill in working with cell cultures. Utilizing a hemocytometer to accurately and reliably determine concentration helps ensure cell cultures are maintained appropriately and efficiently.
INSTRUMENTATION: PH
Instrumentation credentials ensure that a new employee has the skills to properly operate, maintain, and troubleshoot common laboratory equipment.
LAB SAFETY: CLEAN UP
Clean up of potentially hazardous spills and debris is an essential skill for laboratory employees. This hands on assessment evaluates whether credential earners can contain spills, clean up appropriately, and don appropriate PPE throughout.
PREPARATION OF SOLUTIONS
Preparation of solutions requires the ability to follow an SOP, select appropriate tools and perform basic calculations. Earners of this credential will be able to accurately and reliably prepare solutions needed in the laboratory.
QUANTITATIVE SKILLS I
Quantitative skills emphasizes tasks used in making solutions, calculating dosage, and performing calculations given a standard equation. The quantitative skills level 1 credential is for those wanting to demonstrate mastery of math skills needed in the laboratory.
BETA Skills Credentials
The following microcredentials were developed in collaboration with the BETA Skills Community of Practice hosted by Forsyth Technical Community College.
Regulatory Auditor Communication
Communicating with regulatory auditors is a common practice in the biomanufacturing industry. This mock interview assessment focuses on answering questions accurately, professionally, and succinctly, choosing verification of information instead of subjective opinions or speculation.
Current Good Documentation Practices
Good documentation practices are essential in any advanced manufacturing environment. For this practical assessment ALCOA principles are emphasized.
Problem Solving in a GMP Environment
Problem-solving is an essential skill in a GMP environment.
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Investigate
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Document
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Communicate
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Resolve
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Prevent
FUTURE CREDENTIALS
Contact us if you are looking for a credential that is not listed.
IN DEVELOPMENT
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​Cell Culture: Splitting and Counting
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Instrumentation: Flow Cytometer
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Donning and Doffing PPE
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USDA Regulations
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FDA Regulations
COMING SOON
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Instrumentation: Bioreactor
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Instrumentation: SEM
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Micropipette Calibration and Maintenance
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Protocol: ELISA
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Protocol: Vertical and Horizontal Gel Electrophoresis
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Aseptic Technique (production floor level)
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Aseptic Technique (biosafety hood level)
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GLP and cGMP basics​
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Environmental Monitoring for Compliance
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Electrophoresis-DNA
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Instrumentation: PCR
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Instrumentation: Autoclave operation and maintenance
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Instrumentation: HPLC
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Instrumentation: Analytical Scale
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Instrumentation: Centrifugation
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Instrumentation: Spectrophotometer
