Organizations in Maryland are doing their part to secure the future of Maryland science jobs.

Hagerstown Community College recently released a report stating the importance of creating bioscience jobs in Maryland. The report, “Education, Economic Development and 21st Century Jobs: The Case for Planned Growth of Biosciences in Washington County,” states the community should begin discussing education, economic development and 21st Century jobs related to the industry.

According to an article by The Herald-Mail, many steps are already underway to train students and bring biotechnology companies to the area.

“In particular, this paper presents the case for Washington County embracing a unique and timely set of opportunities that would greatly assist in making high skill/high wage bioscience or biotechnology employment a significant part of the local economy,” HCC President Guy Altieri said in the article.

Many actions in the state should help bring jobs and companies to the area. First, Gov. Martin O’Malley has proposed to spend $1.1 million on the state’s bioscience industry during the next 10 years. Second, officials at the biotecnology hub at Fort Detrick in Fredrick County want to build economic and educational connections with Washington County. Third, there is a possibility the I-270 Technology Corridor could extend along Interstate 70 into Washington County.

“Taken together, these developments point to the potential for bioscience business development in Washington County that would enable the county to capitalize on its existing assets,” the article notes.

There are currently 370 bioscience companies throughout Maryland. The industry employs 30,000 to 35,000 workers in biotech companies and about the same in federal and academic organizations. The average pay for a bioscience worker in Maryland is about $75,000.