The Empire State Development is seeking a qualified firm or team to conduct a more targeted analysis of the current and anticipated workforce needs specific to New York State's life sciences industry, with a focus on entry-level and mid-level roles, especially in emerging technology fields vital to New York's growth. The selected Consultant will deliver valuable data, detailed insights, and actionable recommendations for potential ESD workforce programs in the life sciences. The scope of work includes two main tasks: (1) Workforce Needs Assessment in Emerging and High-Growth Life Sciences Areas Across New York State, and (2) Workforce Development Initiative and Program Recommendations. • The Consultant will assess New York State's life sciences workforce, analyzing existing and 5-year projected workforce needs across key subsectors and high-priority advanced technologies. • The Consultant will identify workforce supply-and-demand gaps, high-demand roles, and changing skill needs, while evaluating the alignment of education and training programs with industry requirements. • The Consultant will develop strategic recommendations for ESD's workforce development initiative, including key priority areas for workforce programs that ESD should uniquely drive to attract companies, drive investment, and expand the life sciences industry in New York. • The Consultant will provide specific program recommendations and assist ESD in developing a roadmap for implementing the workforce development initiative, detailing key milestones, budget estimates, and other resource needs.