Biotechnology education and training is essential if you are looking for a career in the biotech industry. This is a growing field and many students that attend biotechnology schools should be able to find employment after graduation.

Nonetheless, it's still important to get good grades in biotechnology programs if you want to be eligible for the best jobs. Companies are looking for students who excel and they will hire the best students right out of college.

Biotechnology schooling can lead to a great career:

1. The biotech industry has seen steady growth, which means that there are often jobs available. This is great news for students that are thinking about biotech schools.

2. Most people with a biotech education have relatively safe working conditions, typically in a lab. Occasionally, some scientists must do field work that could involve strenuous activity.

3. Even though the industry is growing, there is still competition to receive research grants to fund projects. This typically does not hinder interest and if you can prove that you have the proper biotechnology education and training, then you are more likely to get the grant.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Attend colleges that offer degrees in biotech programs

Scientific fields typically require a college degree if you want to find adequate employment. In fact, an undergraduate degree is often not good enough if you want to get a good job.

I recommend: If you want to find the best colleges, you should look to U.S. News and World Reports, which regularly ranks the nation's colleges. They list all of the colleges that offer a degree in biotechnology. You can learn more about a particular college by clicking on its name. If you are looking for graduate programs, check out GraduateSchools.com.

Look for online biotech courses to study at home

While you can't get lab experience online, you can certainly fulfill some course requirements. This is convenient if you don't have the time to attend a traditional college.

I recommend: The National Science Foundation sponsors Bio-Link.org, which lists several reputable online courses in biotechnology. BioPortfolio also has appropriate courses.

Go to biotech seminars to learn more and stay up-to-date

Once you already have a degree, it can be helpful to periodically attend seminars in biotechnology. This helps you to learn new techniques and keep your knowledge fresh.

I recommend: North Carolina State University regularly conducts biotech-related seminars that may pique your interest. Specific fields of research include genetics and plant pathology. You can find additional seminars by date at Biotechnology Calendar.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Lab experience is necessary for biotechnology training. Be wary of online schools that claim you can earn a degree in biotechnology without lab experience. Companies may not hire you if you don't include this in your biotechnology education and training.