Lehigh Carbon Community College (LCCC) is poised to become the hub of pharmaceutical workforce development in Pennsylvania.

Following an announcement by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro at Allentown’s Da Vinci Science Center, LCCC will receive a $5-million state investment to develop a specialized science and technology lab.

The facility serves as a cornerstone of the historic deal bringing global pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company to Upper Macungie Township.

With Lilly investing $3.5 billion into the region, the largest private-sector investment in Lehigh Valley history, LCCC will lead the effort to train a highly skilled, local workforce to develop a specialized science and technology lab.

“We are carving out clear pathways to careers that offer both stability and the chance to contribute to life-saving medical advancements,” said LCCC President Ann D. Bieber.

“Our programs provide a seamless journey, from workforce certifications to associate degrees and transfers to four-year institutions, offering students ‘on and off ramps’ for lifelong learning and career advancement,” Bieber said in a Feb. 2 press release.

The new laboratory will have state-of-the-art equipment designed to mirror the advanced manufacturing environments found in Lilly’s facilities.

LCCC will renovate an existing building to create dedicated training pipelines for high-demand roles, including:

• Lab Testers

• Quality Assurance Technicians

• Manufacturing Engineers

• Production Specialists

“Our new teaching laboratories will provide the hands-on environment necessary to train the next generation in producing safe, effective and accessible medications,” said Andrew King, LCCC interim dean of science, mathematics and health-care sciences.

The Lilly facility will focus on producing life-changing medications, including the weight-loss drug Zepbound.

Shapiro said that the $5 million grant ensures the high-paying jobs created by this investment remain accessible to the local community.

“We’re proud to have institutions like LCCC where we can create unique curricula to train the workers of tomorrow,” said Shapiro.

“This is a win for Lilly, for Pennsylvania workers, and for local partners like the Parkland School District, who will serve as feeders into these high-paying, transformative careers.”

Bieber has been appointed by Shapiro to the new State Board of Higher Education, which will coordinate higher education in Pennsylvania. Bieber will represent the commonwealth’s 15 community colleges and chairs the Transfer of Authority committee.

The collaboration marks LCCC’s second major corporate training milestone. The college is already distinguished as one of only four centers in the United States authorized to train workers for Amazon’s advanced manufacturing and robotics facilities.

With this new investment, LCCC reinforces its position as a national leader in technical education and a vital engine for the Lehigh Valley’s economic future.

LCCC, founded in 1966, serves more than 9,000 credit and noncredit students annually ins Lehigh, Carbon and Schuylkill counties.

Offering more than 90 programs of study, LCCC provides associate degrees, certificates and specialized workforce training at its main campus in Schnecksville and sites in Allentown, Tamaqua and Lehigh Valley International Airport.