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The biggest challenge facing Boston biotech? These are not layoffs

Posted on by darion

Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from WBUR’s daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you’re reading and want it in your inbox, sign up here.

It’s the first-ever “International Day of Play” thanks to LEGO, which will soon be based in Boston. Head to City Hall Plaza for family activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. But first, the news:

Work-life balance (study): While recent layoffs have made headlines, the biggest future problem facing the Boston area’s robust biotech sector will not be a lack of jobs. In fact, the new report says quite the opposite. According to the Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation’s annual report, the sector is facing a labor shortage and must do more to recruit local college graduates.

  • By the numbers: The report shows that the life sciences sector will add an average of more than 5,700 jobs per year over the next decade. However, local colleges and universities are expected to fill only about 3,500, or 61%, of these positions.
  • Why? It’s primarily a matter of awareness among students, MassBioEd CEO Sunny Schwartz told WBUR’s Dan Guzman. “One in five biology, chemistry or other life sciences graduates find a job in the life sciences,” Schwartz said. “We are losing 80% of our graduates to other industries.”
  • What do they do about it? MassBioEd strives to connect students with industry through everything from on-campus talks to internships. “Some of them may think that medical school is their only option,” Schwartz said. MassBioEd has also launched an apprenticeship program and is working with public universities to diversify their workforce.
  • What’s next: As of 2021, life sciences jobs in Massachusetts have grown by approximately 11.6%, almost twice the national rate. While growth slowed to 2.5% last year, MassBioEd projects the sector will grow 32% by 2033, representing an increase of 38,000 net new jobs.

Inside the City Hall: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is arguing with city councilors (again) over money for police and firefighters. Wu rejected the council’s cuts to her proposed police and fire budgets. In a letter to the council yesterday, Wu wrote that Boston’s “record low level of violence is linked to well-resourced public safety efforts” as well as well-maintained parks and other city programs.

  • Enlarge: The City Council, which passed a revised version of Wu’s budget proposal by a 10-3 vote, could defeat the mayor with a two-thirds majority. Councilman Brian Worrell told WBUR that their budget would still include a nominal increase in police and fire budgets (just not as much as Wu originally proposed).
  • Meanwhile: City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune announced she will launch a home rule petition on Wednesday to introduce a ranked-choice voting system in Boston’s elections. While Massachusetts voters rejected a state-level voting system in 2020, ranked choice voting is already in place locally in Cambridge and Easthampton. (Still, the Legislature has not always been sympathetic to petitions for ranking-based self-selection policies.)

Thread! New England’s first dog bar is opening a second location. Everett’s Park-9 Dog Bar will be coming to Boston’s Fenway neighborhood this summer, located at Star Market at the intersection of Park Drive, Boylston Street and Brookline Avenue. “Park-9 at The Station” will feature a 4,000-square-foot dog park.

  • Menu: For the public, the pop-up will offer beer, wine and other beverages, as well as a Mexican food truck. For dogs, there will be a selection of treats, puppy mugs and Tailwagger Dog beer (yes, there’s now craft beer for dogs too).

Two for the price of one: Moderna says its combination Covid-19 flu vaccine is a step closer to being available after meeting its goals in a late-stage human trial. According to the Cambridge-based company, the study found that people who received the vaccine had higher rates of immunity than those who received separate flu and Covid-19 vaccines. (It’s still unclear when exactly it will be available.)

A new type of food drive: Catholic Charities in Boston is partnering with Instacart this summer on a new anti-hunger initiative. Instacart will publish an online list of items Catholic Charities need most and allow people to donate and receive these items directly to the food bank (with no handling or delivery fees).

PS — Mark your calendars for 2025. The first-ever WBUR festival comes to Comm. Ave. in May next year. Join us to bring together fascinating people tackling the most important issues of our time. There will be big speakers, spirited conversations, musical performances, numerous stages, tasty food and a vibrant street scene. This will be serious business and a lot of fun. Sign up for speaker alerts and get answers to all your frequently asked questions at wburfestival.org.