The goal of Solano’s biotechnology center is to train the next generation of lab technicians and biomanufacturers, a major priority for biomanufacturing firms around the globe. Graduates of Solano’s program are so sought after, says Jim Dekloe, head of the Biomanufacturing program, that it has “a near 100% placement rate."
This means biomanufacturing firms located in Vacaville will have a distinct advantage: the ability to establish relationships with the college to ensure access to SCC’s highly trained graduates. Vacaville also lies in close proximity to both UC Davis and UC Berkeley, both of which feature programs that focus on the scientific research side of biotech. In conjunction with SCC’s Biomanufacturing program, these schools will provide a steady pipeline of highly trained workers who will help Vacaville grow its existing biotech hub.
"The secret recipe of Vacaville's biomanufacturing community over three decades is not so secret: our education partners continue to produce incredible people," said Matt Gardner. "We're playing from strength with partners like Solano College, UC Davis, and now seeing great new programs arise at UC Berkeley and more, to support the biotech industry's need for manufacturing talent."
Fortunately, new residents discover Vacaville to be a vibrant community with a high quality of life, where a healthy work-life balance is the norm, not the exception. With a storied history dating back over 150 years, Vacaville continues to be a desirable place to live. Owning a home in Vacaville is attainable, with median home prices 29% less than the California state average. The city boasts quality schools and arts and cultural events. Its residents are lovers of the outdoors, food and drink, family, and fun. With Wine Country to the west, Tahoe and Yosemite to the east, and Shasta and lake country to the north, Vacaville is an active person’s ideal home.
Looking to the future, Vacaville is well placed to be a model of what a twenty-first century city can be—a vibrant hub of innovation and industry, prosperity, and peace. With great jobs in biomanufacturing and no reason to commute, biotech workers across the nation are discovering what Vacaville residents have known for ages: Vacaville is not just a place to live, it’s a place to have a life.
Click below for more information on how Vacaville is positioned to be home to the leading West Coast biotech cluster.
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“For all of you who thought about tomorrow, tomorrow is today, and you’ve done it,” said Garamendi at the CBC launch. “Biomanufacturing has already taken root in Solano County, and together we can encourage more biomanufacturers to come here and produce the biomaterials and pharmaceuticals this country needs.”
As the center of the next big biotech boom, the city of Vacaville is one of the fastest-growing communities in the country. Throughout its development, Vacaville has remained an attractive community to call home and was named a Top 10 Most Livable Small City by SmartAsset—the only California city to be awarded this honor. Combined with its commitment to growing the biotech industry through the CBC and the educational opportunities provided by Solano Community College, the City of Vacaville is ready for sustained growth.
“Vacaville is the envy of many communities that have dreams of becoming a center of biomanufacturing, but they may not match up with industry expectations for talent, speed, and space, let alone a demonstrated track record over more than 30 years of biomanufacturing success,” said Matthew Gardner, president of the California Biomanufacturing Center.
The development of the CBC and its partnerships with SCC and the City of Vacaville couldn’t come soon enough, according to US Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA 03).
“When our bridges are dependent on Chinese steel and the pharmaceuticals used by the US military are dependent on Chinese materials, we’re in trouble,” says Garamendi, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee. “We need a ‘Make It in America’ agenda.”
The CBC, he says, is about making biomanufactured goods in America, but its success relies on the educational component provided by Solano Community College. “SCC is about educating young men and women to be part of what is absolutely essential in the US, and we have a pandemic to prove the point.”
Solano Country is off to a good head start, with nearly 10% of the workforce involved in some form of manufacturing. Whether it be for innovative sectors like Food/Beverage or Advanced Materials, Solano County and the City of Vacaville are truly “hands-on” economies. Congressman Garamendi applauds the CBC and the City of Vacaville, SCC, and the greater biomanufacturing community at large for their commitment to building on previous successes such as Genentech to make Vacaville the hub of the US biotech industry for generations to come. For his part, Congressman Garamendi pledges the full support of the United States Congress in backing this development.
The California Biomanufacturing Center initiative is stunning in scope, allocating 300 acres to biomanufacturing development and 3.5 million square feet of commercial real estate in Vacaville. The center is estimated to generate $2 billion in industrial investment and create 13,000 well-compensated jobs, with an annual payroll of over $1 billion.
Vacaville is uniquely situated for an influx of biomanufacturing that requires a well-educated workforce. Located within a short drive of the renowned research centers of UC Davis and Cal Berkeley, Vacaville is also close to a medical school, Touro University, an engineering hub, Cal State University Maritime, as well as Solano Community College, one of only two community colleges in the country that offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomanufacturing. SCC’s program and facilities play a vital role in making the city an attractive destination for biotech.
The City of Vacaville’s partnership with SCC is of paramount importance, says SCC president Dr. Celia Esposito-Noy. “The key to retaining and attracting new biomanufacturing to Solano County is the availability of trained workforce. SCC has taken the lead by hiring outstanding faculty to teach and prepare students for jobs in the biotech sphere.” SCC, along with academic partnerships with other institutions such as Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, provides students with a pipeline into the biomanufacturing industry.
“The Solano Region at large is on the radar of companies looking to scale their production capabilities,” says Robert Burris, President and CEO of the Solano Economic Development Corporation. “The County boasts one of the strongest manufacturing locations in California. From pharma manufacturing to food innovation, we have the talent, infrastructure, real estate, momentum, and political will to help companies invest and grow.”
History happens in places you may not expect it to. On a sunny day last October, the City of Vacaville announced a partnership that is set to change the course of history for the city, Solano County, and the entire United States for generations to come. The City has launched the California Biomanufacturing Center (CBC), a non-profit set to accelerate the growth of the biomanufacturing industry in Vacaville, in accordance with vital contributions from the City, Solano Community College (SCC), and state and federal legislators.
“The CBC is a major milestone for the history and economic development of Vacaville,” said Vacaville Mayor Ron Rowlett at the launch.
Already home to Genentech, one of the largest biomanufacturers in the country, as well as industry giants Johnson & Johnson, Polaris, and RxD Nova, Vacaville, which sits just 50 miles northeast of San Francisco, is known as the birthplace of biotech in the United States. “Now our goal is simple,” said Mayor Rowlett. “Make Vacaville the US epicenter of biomanufacturing.”
This vibrant Northern California community is one of the fastest growing in the nation. With all of the economic development that abounds in Vacaville, it's easy to see how big things come in small packages.
How the City of Vacaville Became the Nexus of the Growing Biotech Industry
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Increasing Vacaville’s biotech industry is a massive priority for the City, which recently unveiled its Biotech Fast Track program. The program prioritizes the review of new biotech projects, provides a central point of contact for them, and processes entitlement in 90 to 100 days from submission of applications for land use approvals.
“Our staff has deep experience working with the biotechnology industry,” says Mayor Rowlett. “As we work to grow our biomanufacturing sector, this program will ensure that this is as fast and frictionless a process as possible for companies looking to locate and expand in Vacaville.”
The San Francisco Business Times reported that “as part of the Fast Track program, specific staff from different departments will be assigned to each project, and building officials will work directly with a project's design and construction team. The policy states that the it will also assign a dedicated building inspector to perform all inspections, act as a primary contact for inspection-related requests and serve as a contact for post-approval support.” In short, Vacaville is removing bureaucratic obstacles that might otherwise deter industry development.
Because talent is vital to the health of the industry, biomanufacturing workers are some of the most coveted in the industry. This talent is the way forward to help rebuild manufacturing as a whole. Vacaville will play a vital role in this effort, says Congressman Garamendi.
“The United States must not only rebuild its once robust manufacturing sector but do so with an eye toward the types of advanced manufacturing that will define the future,” Garamendi said in the CBC announcement. “The biomanufacturing strength of Vacaville represents an important opportunity for us to grow the types of high-value jobs with career wages that are essential to our country’s future success, while at the same time strengthening our nation’s strategic competitiveness and security.”
Much of the talent that will fuel our country’s future is being produced at Solano Community College in Vacaville, which has been offering a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomanufacturing since 2017.
“Our program was the first program of its kind to teach students the skills and knowledge required to enter biomanufacturing jobs,” says SCC’s president, Dr. Esposito-Noy. “It has served as a model for producing graduates with ready expertise to meet the strenuous demands of the industry.”
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Genentech campus in Vacaville
Life balance is the norm, not the exception.
“Vacaville is the envy of many communities that have dreams of becoming a center of biomanufacturing."
“Vacaville is the envy of many communities that have dreams of becoming a center of biomanufacturing."