Roche Diagnostics and University of Indianapolis Partner with Ascend Indiana

Roche Diagnostics and the University of Indianapolis are partnering to create a custom talent pipeline for biomedical equipment technicians through the newly created Roche Academy. The partnership was co-developed with Ascend Indiana, a Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) initiative. As Roche’s customer base continues to grow, the demand for quality and properly trained biomedical equipment technicians continues to increase. These technicians are critical to Roche’s operations, as they maintain critical lab equipment and provide customer service across Roche’s 32 geographic service regions. “We have to think differently and more creatively as a company to attract highly skilled talent,” Jack Phillips, president and CEO, Roche Diagnostics said. “Through this unique talent initiative, and our partnership with two outstanding community organizations, we will be able to fulfill our employment needs for these positions which are critical to our business.”

Through this partnership, the University will recruit biology and chemistry students to join the Roche Academy, where they will complete a Roche-customized curriculum path and summer internship experience focused on the hands-on, life science and engineering skills necessary for employment at Roche. In exchange, Academy students successfully completing the program will receive financial and educational incentives, including a job offer from Roche upon graduation. “Our supply of skilled workers is not meeting the demand and available talent is often not connecting efficiently with employers who need them,” Jason Kloth, president and CEO, Ascend Indiana said. “Through our Ascend Services work, employers like Roche are able to create custom talent pipeline programs that provide a shared value for the company, the educational institution, students and the broader community.”

The partnership also allows the University to align its curricula with current industry demands for education and attract new students to the university. “Partnerships like Roche Academy show how we can develop regional economic advantages, keep higher education connected to the community and help companies meet areas of critical need,” said Stephen Kolison, University of Indianapolis executive vice president and provost. “These partnerships form the DNA of the University of Indianapolis by providing our students with distinctive experiences at dynamic organizations and preparing them for careers in today’s complex world.”

Ascend, Roche and UIndy will begin recruitment for the first cohort of students in October, with the first class estimated to start employment at Roche in 2020. The Academy is expected to produce 20-25 biomedical equipment technicians for Roche annually. Roche Diagnostics is the North American headquarters of the world’s largest biotech company where more than 4,000 people work together to provide insights that help people around the world manage and improve personal health conditions. It has been part of the Indianapolis landscape since 1964 when it was founded as Bio-Dynamics and later acquired by Boehringer Mannheim Corporation in 1974. Roche acquired Boerhinger Mannheim in 1998 and within three years became the world leader in diagnostics. – Medical Buyer Bureau