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biotech: keep
new jobs here
Imagine the excitement, the uncertainty, the fears and the challenges college instructors faced when creating a new curriculum for computer classes 30 to 35 years ago.
That’s probably what Becky Westbrooks and those involved with Southeastern Community College’s new agricultural biotechnology program, which will begin instructing students in the fall, are feeling.
The coming of the Computer Age was not a certain thing. One IBM executive famously predicted that computers one day would weigh less than 10 tons, but it didn’t take long for the digital revolution to change the world.
North Carolina and a handful of other states have latched on to what many feel will be the next revolution – how to alter crops and other living organisms to better benefit man.
SCC is the first college in the country to offer a two-year degree in agriculture biotechnology.
SCC is expected to provide technicians who will staff biotech plants and research and development centers.
With SCC on the forefront of biotech training, it’s easy to see that biotech plants might look to locate here.
Just last week, the Committee of 100 and county announced a new industry that will process soybeans for export.
Other opportunities exist. The Tobacco Research Station north of Whiteville offers an already-existing facility that could partner with the college for biotech research.
Also, we’d like to see renewed interest in a biotech business incubator that would encourage private enterprise to invest in biotech here.
It’s SCC’s job to provide cutting-edge training for good jobs; yet, it would be unfortunate if every student trained by SCC has to leave Columbus County to find employment.
The opening of the biotech program at SCC should be a signal to local economic interests, both public and private, to find ways to take advantage of SCC’s initiative to keep jobs here.