Bioscience center to help train workers, recruit firms

The $14 million training center near Social Circle was part of a mammoth package of perks that helped woo a major pharmaceutical plant – and 1,500 jobs — to Georgia in 2012.

The Georgia BioScience Training Center will prepare workers for the nearby $1 billion Baxalta plant, which will make blood-based treatments for patients with immune system problems.

The center’s impact will go beyond Baxalta, state leaders said, expecting it to be a key asset in the state’s pitch to other life sciences companies. The center, formally unveiled by Gov. Nathan Deal on Thursday, features customized labs, classrooms and space for future growth.