South Piedmont Community College officially opened its new Aseptic Training Facility, the first facility of its kind in southcentral North Carolina, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 9. The event was attended by students, employees, industry partners, and state and local leaders.
Located on South Piedmont’s Old Charlotte Highway campus in Monroe, the Aseptic Training Facility:
- measures 21,000 square feet.
- features state-of-the-art classrooms, advanced aseptic processing labs, and simulated manufacturing spaces.
- will support workforce development by providing training in several critical areas of biopharma manufacturing and operations, including chemistry and microbiology, quality systems and compliance fundamentals, and aseptic processing.
- will offer students the ability to earn their NC BioWork Certification. The NC BioWork Certification is a workforce credential that prepares students for entry-level jobs in biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, pharmaceutical, and chemical manufacturing. The certification is administered through the North Carolina Community College System’s BioNetwork initiative and is widely recognized by life sciences employers across the state.
The facility has been made possible through the support of the North Carolina General Assembly and industry partners, including Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, which has donated more than $2.7 million in materials and equipment to the Aseptic Training Facility, as well as the Golden LEAF Foundation.
“Our partnership with South Piedmont Community College reflects our commitment to investing in local talent. Monroe has long been home to our U.S. manufacturing facility, making this collaboration a natural extension of our commitment to the community. At Glenmark, we believe that people are at the heart of a strong and sustainable pharmaceutical ecosystem. Through this initiative, we aim to support workforce development, strengthen specialized aseptic manufacturing capabilities, and help cultivate the skilled talent pipeline needed to meet the industry’s evolving needs,” said Marc T. Kikuchi, President & Business Head – North America, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals.
Prior to the opening of South Piedmont’s Aseptic Training Facility, employers such as Glenmark Pharmaceuticals were often forced to send employees hundreds of miles away for specialized aseptic training. By bringing that training to Union County, South Piedmont is helping meet industry demand while positioning the region as a center for biopharmaceutical workforce development.
“I think we will look back on this day as a turning point not only for South Piedmont but for our entire community,” said South Piedmont’s Executive Director of Aseptic and Biotechnology Programs Dr. Kimberly Miller.
“This facility represents more than an investment in education — it is an investment in the future of our region. By providing specialized aseptic training locally, we are helping employers access the talent they need to grow while positioning Union County as a destination for workforce development in the rapidly expanding biopharmaceutical sector.”
The building is being celebrated on state and national levels. In a comment provided to South Piedmont, U.S. Sen.Ted Budd said:
“North Carolina is proud to lead the nation in advanced biotechnology, which is transforming the landscape of life sciences. The unveiling of South Piedmont Community College’s Aseptic Training Facility marks a significant milestone in our state’s continued leadership to shape the next generation of this critical workforce. I applaud President Dr. Stacy Waters-Bailey and the numerous key partners, especially Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, whose dedication to advancing the success of North Carolina’s students has made this transformative facility possible.”
For more information on the Aseptic Training Facility, email kmiller2@spcc.edu.