Eleven Biotechnology students earned the BACE credential after taking the Biotechnology Aptitude and Competency Exam this semester, the first time the exam has been offered at Virginia Western.
Biotility at the University of Florida has partnered with the bioscience industry to develop the BACE, which assesses core skills and knowledge sets defined by the industry. Launched in 2012, this industry-recognized credential tells potential employers that an applicant can seamlessly enter a bioscience workplace and is prepared to be quickly trained on company-specific protocols. To date, around 6,500 people have earned this credential nationally.
Last summer, Virginia Western Community College received approval to be a BACE testing site. BACE is administered in 32 states, with it being officially recognized as an industry-level credential at the state level in 18 of those, including Virginia, where it was approved in fall 2024.