A new certification program trains workers for an exciting career CleanTech. The University of California in San Diego’s Centre for Algae Biotechnology, or SD-CAB has started a new education program to help train up graduates in the exciting world of biofuels. This key program is getting noticed, and for good reason. Have just started, the program has already shown great success, and is keeping biofuel research and jobs at home in Southern California.
A partnership for the green economy
The biofuel program has a number of partners from across San Diego, including CleanTECH San Diego, San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, BIOCOM, UC San Diego, San Diego State University, Mira Costa College and San Diego Workforce Partnership. It is funded by a $4 million grant from California’s Department of Labor and is a part of the EDGE Initiative, designed for educating and developing workers for the green economy.
Once the program is perfected, it will be moved on-line, where a web-based curriculum can be made available to any Californian college or university. It will also become a part of the UC San Diego Extension, which specializes in on-line teaching and be accessible internationally to anyone looking to gain entry level, science based training in biofuels.
Biofuels are a growing part of the Californian economy. Estimates are that the algal biofuel sector is alone responsible for more than $100 million in economic activity annually. This is only the beginning and we can definitely expect this area of expertise to be an important part of the energy sector.
Helping graduates lead the way
The program is exciting for students as graduates are eligible for four to eight week full-time, paid internships at various biofuel and industrial biotechnology companies in San Diego, a definite plus for getting your foot in the door in this growing industry. The program also ensures that San Diego is on the map when it comes to CleanTech research and product development. So says Stephen Mayfield, professor of biology at UC San Diego and director of SD-CAB: “It’s critical that we build the research and development infrastructure for the biofuels industry here.” Mayfield says this program builds on San Diego’s current global leadership, “right now, we have a head start on the rest of the world and we can’t afford to lose that.”
The first fifty graduates started their technical training earlier this year and already thirteen have secured jobs in the sector. Professor Mayfield sees this as a sign of the program’s success and the importance of biofuels to the economy of the United States and California in particular: “The bioenergy sector will eventually be creating millions of jobs nationwide. Our biggest challenge will be to keep those jobs in California.”
The next class starts in March 2012 and will be redesigned to incorporate feedback from the first year’s experiences. Spaces are available through the BIOCOM Institute. What is certain is that this will be an exciting new step toward a career in one of the most beneficial new growth areas of our economy.