Advanced therapies are rapidly evolving, but talent development has not kept pace. Across the US, companies struggle to hire and retain operators, quality specialists, and technical staff with the hands-on capabilities needed to sustain GMP production, support clinical programs, and scale commercially.
A Growing Barrier to Advanced Therapy Progress
The workforce shortage in advanced therapies is becoming a systemic bottleneck impacting every stage of product development and GMP manufacturing.
This shortage is felt most acutely in disciplines where training demands are steep and timelines are unforgiving across nuclear medicine, cell and gene therapies. The talent gap impacts every operational layer including:
- Production and Technical Operations
- QA/QC
- Cross-disciplinary technical talent
- Specialized engineering
- Process
- Analytical skill sets
The talent shortage is now a major risk factor in commercializing novel therapies and we consistently see the same challenge across the industry. Companies simply cannot afford to invest time and capital repeatedly training new hires who may not remain long-term.
Why Workforce Development Must Evolve
In order to keep up with the complexities of advanced therapy manufacturing, teams must be prepared for:
- GMP operations and cleanroom behavior from day one
- Aseptic technique and handling of radiopharmaceuticals in controlled environments
- Documentation practices that meet regulatory expectations
- Hands-on experience with QC methods and routine decision-making under real operational timelines
We see the best outcomes when training is not only technical but designed to mirror a company’s facility, products, and regulatory expectations. As the industry matures, workforce preparedness is becoming as strategically important as engineering design, supply chain stability, and regulatory planning.
Introducing Orchestra’s Workforce Development Center in Philadelphia
To address this industry-wide gap, Orchestra Life Sciences is investing in the next generation of workforce infrastructure.
Earlier this year, Orchestra announced the relocation of our headquarters to Philadelphia, strengthening our commitment to innovation, ecosystem growth, and building the advanced therapy workforce of the future.
Orchestra will be co-located with its future workforce development program, a dedicated center slated for launch in 2026 at the Navy Yard. The center will provide:
- Hands-on training for operations, quality control, and quality assurance roles
- Programs focused on cell and gene therapy, radiopharmaceutical manufacturing, and nuclear medicine production
- A learning environment built to reflect real facility conditions, supporting cleanroom behavior, controlled-area protocols, and GMP readiness
Building the Advanced Therapy Workforce of the Future
The next decade of innovation in cell and gene therapy and radiopharmaceuticals will demand far more than scientific advancement. It will require an ecosystem of highly skilled professionals who can execute with precision, maintain compliance, and adapt to emerging technologies.
If your team is preparing for scale, building new facilities, expanding supply chain operations, or strengthening quality infrastructure, now is the time to plan for the workforce that will support that growth.
At Orchestra Life Sciences, we’ve seen firsthand how workforce limitations slow progress for therapies that patients urgently need. We’re examining the widening workforce gap and sharing how Orchestra’s upcoming workforce development center represents a long-term solution built for clients, partners, and the advanced therapy ecosystem.
Connect with our workforce development team to begin the conversation: orchestralifesciences.com.