ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Lehigh Carbon Community College is working to develop a high-tech lab that will help provide the workforce for a new state-of-the-art pharmaceutical factory in the region.
Gov. Josh Shapiro on Friday in Allentown announced Eli Lilly and Company is working to build its next manufacturing facility in Upper Macungie Township.
The project could see the pharmaceutical giant invest $3.5 billion in the Lehigh Valley.
Shapiro’s administration offered a package of incentives worth $100 million to secure the deal, which the governor called the “largest-ever investment in the Lehigh Valley.”
And the community college is getting $5 million from the state to create a science and technology lab that will be tailored to prepare students to work in Lilly’s facility.
“That's great for Lilly, it's great for Pennsylvania workers, it's great for the community college, it's great for Parkland School District and others who are going to end up being feeders into these high-paying, wonderful jobs,” Shapiro said.
Lilly plans to produce its best-selling obesity drug, Zepbound, and a new class of similar medications at its Lehigh Valley facility, according to Chief Executive Officer Dave Ricks.
“We're proud that we have places like (Lehigh Carbon) Community College, where we can create a unique curriculum for them to train the workers of tomorrow."
Gov. Josh Shapiro
LCCC President Ann Bieber said the school will use the funding to “revamp” one of its buildings with “very high-tech equipment” to create pathways to careers as a lab tester, quality assurance technician, engineer and more.
“That's what's going to train people to actually make that medication so it's safe for everyone to use and affordable for everyone,” Andrew King, LCCC interim dean of science, mathematics and health care sciences, said Friday.
The Lilly lab gives the school its second major corporate training partnership. LCCC is among four centers in the United States that trains people to work in Amazon’s advanced manufacturing facilities.
“We're proud that we have places like [Lehigh Carbon] Community College, where we can create a unique curriculum for them to train the workers of tomorrow,” Shapiro said.