Greater Philadelphia’s position as a leading life sciences hub is a draw to many looking to start or take the next step in their careers. As part of its proactive approach to supporting talent attraction and retention in the cell and gene therapy sector the CEO Council for Growth, through the “Discovery Starts with Me” video series, seeks to illustrate what makes the region so appealing.

With 40 cell and gene therapy R&D companies in the Greater Philadelphia region and as many as 11,274 jobs projected within the next decade in this exciting subsector of the life sciences, the need for talent will continue to grow.

In order to fuel the momentum, the CEO Council for Growth, along with its partners in the Cell & Gene Therapy and Connected Health Initiative and members of the Life Science Talent Pipeline Collaborative, has launched the “Discovery Starts with Me” video series.

“Discovery Starts with Me” features individuals, “Talent Ambassadors,” working in regional cell and gene therapy companies while showcasing Greater Philadelphia’s accessibility, affordability, and livability.

A key attribute of the videos is inclusion of segments filmed by the Talent Ambassadors that show the individuals both inside and outside of the workplace, reinforcing how working in the region complements their personal and social lives. The Talent Ambassadors also reflect the diversity of job opportunities in the sector.

In the course of telling their stories, the Talent Ambassadors emphasize the groundbreaking research that happens in the healthy hub that is Greater Philadelphia and help prospective employees picture themselves working and living in the region.

“We have the data to prove that Greater Philadelphia is a life sciences leader – 40 cell and gene therapy companies, $1.2 billion in 2020 NIH funding and 7.1% five-year employment growth in the industry just to start,” said CEO Council for Growth executive director and senior vice president of economic competitiveness Claire Marrazzo Greenwood. “But this series touches on the stories the numbers can’t tell. Our hope is that others can see themselves in our Talent Ambassadors, and one day join Greater Philadelphia’s cell and gene therapy ecosystem.”

Through the series, the CEO Council for Growth ultimately hopes to connect employers with job seekers, supporting the creation of new therapies, new treatments, and new ways of delivering health to our citizens within Greater Philadelphia and beyond.

This series will be showcased on the CEO Council for Growth’s and Select Greater Philadelphia’s social media channels (@CEOCouncilPHL and CEOCouncilPHL)and websites, as well as amplified through paid social media advertisements to reach a national audience interested in cell and gene therapy.

The first video in the series launched this week and features Darshil Patel, associate principal scientist at Cabaletta Bio. Catch a glimpse into Darshil’s life working in cell and gene therapy in Greater Philadelphia in the first “Discovery Starts with Me” video here.

To learn more about the “Discovery Starts with Me” video series, or to get involved as a Talent Ambassador, click here.