Pharmaceutical Chemical Technician Certificate

PROPOSAL AND RATIONALE

Over the past four years, the Department of Physical Sciences has offered training at the plant of Pfizer (formerly Parke Davis) of Holland, MI for current employees. These employees serve as chemical technicians for the company. Unlike other employers, Pfizer does not hire technicians directly from a community college or university. Rather, they identify employees from within who have the skills to become good laboratory workers. They then train the workers on the specific instruments that they need to run.

While the employees have learned how to perform certain tasks, they do not necessarily have the broader background provided by a college education. Pfizer would like to offer these employees an opportunity to receive additional education that would directly impact their ability to perform their jobs.

Initially, Drs. Brummel and Hoekstra, officials at Pfizer inquired about the Industrial Chemistry Technology (ICT) program, the only two-year chemistry degree in the state of Michigan accredited by the American Chemical Society. This program is designed to take students who have just a high school education and equip them with the skills to work in any industry as a chemical technician. Upon reviewing the program (with the assistance of Bill Killian, ICT program coordinator and Dave Frank, Physical Sciences Department head), it was concluded that a full-blown ICT program would not be in their best interests. Already possessing some training from Pfizer, the target employees could benefit from a subset of the typical program. Quite frankly, they do not need some of the "hands-on" training that the ICT program provides, because they have already developed those skills.

Instead, working in conjunction with Pfizer, four courses were identified that would provide a working background knowledge that is most closely related to the employees' jobs. These courses are CHEM 114, Introduction to General Chemistry; CHEM 124, Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry; CHEM 317, Instrumental Analysis; and INCT 220, Industrial Chemistry Calculations. FSU packaged these courses as a certificate. Those employees who complete the certificate are recognized for completing the professional development requirements in the Pfizer promotion schedule.

Courses for this certificate are offered in the summer. Pfizer is expected to pick up the full tuition bill for the students. Enrollments are expected to be in the range of eight to fifteen students. Classes will be offered with the assistance of Extended Learning.

This certificate program will be administered through the Department of Physical Sciences. It is hoped that the establishment of this certificate can lead to closer ties between the ICT program and the chemical industry in Michigan. It is also hoped that this certificate may serve as a "model" for the cooperative ventures between the FSU program and industry. This particular model is appropriate for a pharmaceutical company such as Pfizer. The first degrees in the program were awarded in August 2000.