Item:
Title
Presentation from Made in Durham on the BULLS Academies (30min)
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: April 7, 2025
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board is requested to receive an update presentation on the BULLS Academies from Made in Durham.
The goals of the BULLS Academy - Life Sciences are to align, strengthen and scale the current system that supports Durham residents in obtaining a life science credential and career that provides the higher incomes essential to their ability to create wealth, while scaling a dedicated track that provides Durham young adults with this transformational opportunity.
In January, the Board of County Commissioners approved $3 million in ARPA funding to support the continuation and scaling of BULLS Biotech stipends and comprehensive support services that are administered in partnership with Durham Technical Community College (DTCC). Funding will also support the creation of a second industry certificate program that will follow the same BULLS model of providing financial and academic support as well as connection to resources.
In early 2020, a collaborative of Durham organizations banded together to form what is now known as the BULLS Academy. The initiative's purpose was to explore ways to scale and connect Durham’s Education-to-Career system to the Triangle’s high growth-high wage industry sectors. The effort grew in response to concern that area talent demand was outpacing workforce development supply systems in the region, especially in specific growth industry sectors.
The BULLS collaborative engaged key institutions in the community that played a role in the current Education-to-Career system in a series of discussions to identify the most effective solutions. The goal was to learn how to scale best practices while also addressing the system’s existing inequities, specifically for Durham’s opportunity youth and young adults of color. The result was a BULLS System Scale Plan that identified the process for creating Academies within existing Durham Tech’s industry certification programs designed specifically for these population groups by addressing those inequities in the design. Employing this process, the BULLS collaborative identified Biopharma Manufacturing as the most appropriate first industry sector to scale and create the BULLS Biotech Academy to support.
Today’s presentation will provide an update on program accomplishments to date as well as future milestones.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: This item aligns with Strategic Plan Goal - Regional Leadership
Resource Persons: Maurice Jones, Deputy County Manager, Durham County; Andrew Miracle, Economic Development Director, Durham County; Casey Steinbacher, Executive Director, Made in Durham
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board receive an update presentation on the BULLS Academies from Made in Durham.
Signature
County Manager: ____________________________