“Tom Schumann teaches the entrepreneurs he works with to leverage their experience, skills and talents to meet the needs of their company. He also practices what he teaches,” stated Joan Koerber-Walker, president and CEO of AZBio.
For his ongoing work to support Arizona entrepreneurs and develop the workforce that Arizona’s life science sector will need as we grow, Thomas Schumann has been named the Michael A. Cusanovich Arizona Bioscience Educator of the Year by AZBio.
Growing Arizona’s Talent Base
As our life science community continues to grow, the demand for talented people will grow at an even faster rate. Arizona’s universities and community colleges are pumping out graduates at an ever-increasing rate. But new graduates alone will not meet Arizona’s growing need for life science talent.
The Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation (CEI) was created by GateWay Community College, the Maricopa County Community College District, and the City of Phoenix to provide incubation space for bioscience entrepreneurs in Phoenix. CEI helps innovators and businesses of all sizes succeed by delivering exceptional entrepreneurial, educational, and workforce development resources.
Since 2013, CEI has supported over 80 startups that together have created 765 jobs, secured $117.5 million in capital, and generated more than $160 million in total gross revenue. In 2019, CEI was recognized by the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA), a global organization, as the InBIA Technology/Science Entrepreneurship Center Program of the Year.
Thomas Schumann leads CEI’s state-of-the-art, award-winning business incubator. He and his team work with Arizona entrepreneurs to develop strategies and skills needed for commercializing innovative bioscience and medical device technologies. Schumann is an experienced business counselor providing financial and technical assistance to small and medium-sized businesses across a variety of industries and stages of development.
Schumann saw how CEI’s incubator clients were struggling to find the trained workforce they needed to grow. Since the 1980s, he has used technology as a method for training and teaching. Prior to joining CEI, he led the creation of Michigan’s statewide workforce education program. Drawing from his long history of education innovation, he saw an opportunity to meet the needs of Arizona’s growing life science ecosystem.
Schumann shared his ideas with the leadership team at the Maricopa Community College and secured $3.6 million in Prop. 301 workforce development funding to create a hybrid training system utilizing on-line and in-person training.
Under Schumann’s leadership, CEI is executing on its mission by launching CEI LabForce, a state-wide workforce training initiative focused on developing the skills and talent required by the Arizona bioscience and medtech industry.
By October of 2021, CEI LabForce is projected to host hundreds of online courses. These courses support the training needs for new employees and give employers the ability to set up individual development plans for existing employees. CEI LabForce also allows companies to add their own custom training programs. Additionally, CEI LabForce will be launching a section of its online training program to support internships in the near future. This will help keep our best and brightest talent here in Arizona.
“Tom Schumann teaches the entrepreneurs he works with to leverage their experience, skills and talents to meet the needs of their company. He also practices what he teaches,” stated Joan Koerber-Walker, president and CEO of AZBio.
For his ongoing work to support Arizona entrepreneurs and develop the workforce that Arizona’s life science sector will need as we grow, Thomas Schumann has been named the Michael A. Cusanovich Arizona Bioscience Educator of the Year by AZBio.
About the AZBio Awards:
Each year, the AZBio Awards celebrate Arizona’s leading Educators, Innovators and Companies during Arizona Bioscience Week. In 2021, the AZBio Awards will be celebrated as a 1-hour television special – Celebrating Life & Science – which will premiere on ABC15 at 4 PM on October 3, 2021. For more information and additional air dates and times visit https://www.azbio.org/celebrating-life-science-2021
About Arizona Bioscience Week
Each year Arizona Bioscience week is proclaimed at the Arizona Legislature and by the Governor. Arizona Universities, business organizations and economic development agencies host a series of educational events, investor forums, and celebrations to engage the community in one of Arizona’s most important industries. To access the full schedule of events, visit AZBio.org/AZBW2021.
About AZBio
Since 2003, the Arizona Bioindustry Association (AZBio) has supported life science innovation and life science innovators in Arizona. A key component in Arizona’s life science ecosystem, AZBio is the only statewide organization exclusively focused on Arizona’s bioscience industry. AZBio membership includes patient advocacy organizations, life science innovators, educators, healthcare partners and leading business organizations. AZBio works in partnership locally and nationally to advance health innovation and to ensure that the value delivered from life-changing and life-saving innovation benefits people in Arizona and around the world. Learn more at www.AZBio.org