Training Tomorrow’s RNA Therapy Workforce: CASTL’s Factory School Leads the Way
The principal aim of this initiative, led by the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL), is to provide a skilled RNA manufacturing workforce for those already working in the industry, as well as scientists and university and college students.
More than a training program — the Factory School a talent engine driving biomanufacturing innovation in Quebec and in Canada. With simulated production environments, blended learning, and ecosystem-wide partnerships, CASTL is helping future-proof our workforce for the RNA era.
As RNA therapeutics reshape modern medicine, CASTL is equipping a next-generation workforce with the tools and training needed to lead this transformation.
Objectives
The Factory School offers training programs and qualifications for the current and future workforce. It will enable the acquisition of knowledge and skills specific to RNA therapies and their production environment.
CASTL offers hands-on RNA therapy training with state-of-the-art, industrial-scale biopharmaceutical manufacturing equipment, simulating a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) environment.
Training
The Factory School offers both theoretical and practical training with classroom sessions, virtual sessions and whiteroom practices. These courses will be offered in partnership with other institutions, such as McGill University. The Factory School’s training environment in RNA therapies enables it to cover the entire continuum of professions, from DEP to doctorate, by offering two models of continuing education (specific and general) as well as complementary academic training.
The Factory School will in with post-secondary training programs related to the biomanufacturing sector already available in Quebec. Synergies with college and university programs will be promoted, and complementary modules to academic training will be developed in collaboration with educational institutions. The École-Usine’s offering is divided into two parts:
Continuous Training
Designed for experienced employees or individuals
- General continuing education in RNA therapies, including introductory courses and hands-on lab sessions.
Available Fall 2025 - Specific continuing training in RNA therapies, offering advanced modules that can be tailored to the complementary skills required by the customer.
Available early 2026.
Complementary academic training
Designed for students in the process of completing a college or university program, to prepare them effectively for their entry into the industry.
Available by the end of 2025
Expected outcomes:
In total, around 120 hours of new practical training content will be developed to meet the needs of the RNA therapeutics industry. Over a three-year period, 120 individuals will be trained in the practical skills essential to the biomanufacturing of RNA therapies, thanks to collaborations with numerous academic and industrial partners in Quebec.
Existing training courses, often inaccessible to companies wishing to develop their teams, focus mainly on theoretical rather than practical aspects. The rapid development of the RNA therapeutics sector in Quebec underscores the urgent need to train a qualified and specialized workforce. The emergence of new companies and the expansion of industrial facilities, such as Moderna in Laval, accentuate this need.
October 2025 Pilot Cohort
The Factory School offers trainees hands-on experience with industry-grade technologies in a GMP-simulated environment. From formulating lipid nanoparticles to mastering aseptic techniques, the trainees will learn exactly how RNA therapies like mRNA vaccines are made.
The Factory School’s Equipment
At CASTL’s Montreal training centre, these systems will provide trainees with hands-on experience as the RNA Therapy Factory School welcomes its pilot cohort in October 2025.
ÄKTA readyflux™ (Cytiva)
The ÄKTA readyflux™ (Cytiva) tangential flow filtration (TFF) system supports critical RNA therapy manufacturing steps like purification and buffer exchange. Key features include:
- Single-use design for faster, cleaner changeovers
- Precision control with UNICORN automation
- R&D to pilot-scale flexibility
- Seamless integration with our ÄKTA ready™ chromatography system
NanoAssemblr™ Ignite (Precision NanoSystems)
Cutting-edge platform to train learners on lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation—a key delivery method for mRNA.
- Rapid, precise microfluidic encapsulation
- Fully automated workflow
- Same technology used in Moderna and Pfizer mRNA vaccines
Integrated Cell Processing Workstation (Panasonic)
This station ensures sterility, which is vital to biofabrication. This GMP-compliant isolator enables training in:
- Aseptic RNA formulation
- Decontamination via vaporized H₂O₂
- Real-time contamination control
