Biotechnology is so far considered the youngest branch of science but one that is expanding at such an exceptional rate that, it is gaining more information per annum than any other scientific field. For this reason, biotechnology has been labeled as a revolutionary science largely because its rapid advance out-spaces people’s ability to match up with its applications in modern society.
Biotechnology has also been classified as a high-growth industry and it appears that this kind of growth is overwhelming educators in terms of preparing students with up-to-date knowledge; and skills necessary to work in biotechnology-related careers as well as understand the discipline. Raining in biotechnology is not only being implemented in the workforce education in the U.S., but also in grade schools and universities in Europe, Canada, South America and Asia (Shmaefsky- 1-3)
Why one should study biotechnology Among the technologies credited for having a great ability to improve human life, biotechnology is said to be doing so in various ways. Through biotechnology education, research and development, humans aim at finding solutions to certain problems that are characteristic of the modern world such as nutritional enhancement, improved drugs, antibodies or vaccines, and pest control.
The application of modern biotechnology has become of special interest to human beings especially in the fields of agriculture and food production. Over the last decade, various government, as well as non-government organizations, have introduced a great number of biotechnological courses particularly at the post-graduate level (Choudhary & Pillai 754).
Besides having the ability to improve quality of life and human health; repair environmental damage as well as reduce environmental footprint, biotechnology also has a great potential to improve the general economic well-being. Countries, states, provinces, and cities around the world are involved in the aggressive development of various strategies and initiatives aimed at developing local biotechnology industries to create paying jobs and increase tax, boost exports, as well as encourage combined effort with and spill over into other high-technology areas.
But developing and attracting a workforce that can successfully support a local biotechnology industry and maintain such a workforce as well as a great challenge worldwide. While highly industrialized regions have to meet the challenge of training a sufficient workforce to meet labor demands of the local industry, developing regions on the other hand face their challenge through the need to train enough workers to provide support for their hatching industries or provide a good basis for local investment in the field of biotechnology. In every field, biotechnology industries need workers who are well versed with the diverse factors that affect their operations and those who can properly handle the development and growth of such industries (Friedman 1-2).
Biotechnological studies in biology or science courses at the college level introduce students to the knowledge of old technology like bread or winemaking; and on the other hand to a new technology such as genetic engineering. By taking the biotechnology course, students should be able to learn the technical and scientific aspects of biotechnology. Apart from providing the student with basic knowledge as well as providing him with information about the effects of biotechnology, such a study is also aimed at improving the student’s ability to conduct reasoned decision-making. At the end of the course, students should be able to have a basic understanding of the scientific methods used in biotechnology and the achievements arrived at through the discipline (Choudhary & Pillai 754).
The United States of America is considered the region most actively involved in biotechnology and most biotechnology companies are based here. Huge amount of federal and state funds have been and are still being invested in biotechnology-related research especially in universities. Yet, biotechnology companies continue to complain about the lack of technical knowledge in applied research among graduating students. New programs are therefore being developed in various institutions aimed at empowering students with the ability to use biotechnology techniques so that they can be tools of discovery in future research (Friedman 183).
Works Cited
Choudhary, K and Pillai U. “Teaching Biotechnology at College Level – Need to Balance Ethics and Science.” Current Science Journal, Vol.96, NO.6, 25 2009. 754.
Friedman, Yali. Best Practices in Biotechnology Education. Tbilisi, Georgia: Logos Press, 2008. 1, 183.
Shmaefsky, Brian. Biotechnology 101. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. 1 – 4.