The west coast is known as a global leader in innovation including medical technology and diagnostics. Med tech companies in Oregon are breaking boundaries by partnering with traditional tech companies, like Intel, to achieve big breakthroughs for med tech – something that is great for patients as well as producing a thriving jobs economy.
In 2012, manufacturing made up 39% of Oregon’s GDP, more than any other state. Dennis McNannay, Executive Director of the Oregon Bioscience Association, says much of this can be attributed to the Oregon med tech industry.
“It is incredible to watch the growth of the med tech industry in the state. I think what’s amazing about what’s happening relative to the traditional tech industry is Oregon didn’t know what a good spot it was for med tech. It just grew organically,” McNannay said.
To continue to spur growth in the med tech industry and capitalize on partnerships with the tech industry, Oregon Bio has spearheaded the development of a workforce training program, partnering with med tech companies like FEI and research institutions to create a curriculum to educate current and potential industry employees. According to McNannay, no other state has developed such a robust, industry driven training program.
“In many cases, participants are mid-level executives that go to the classes so they have a better understanding of the regulatory environment that their customers are subject to,” McNannay said.
The end goal for a program like this is to foster a better workforce for the med tech industry, connect workers with others, and ultimately, keep employees informed so they can make the best decisions for their businesses and the industry as a whole.