Thank you for your interest in the programs and services offered through the Department of Labor (DOL) and the State of  California recently awarded grants for the Biotechnology Readiness, Immersion, Certificates and Degreesfor Gainful Employment (BRIDGE) and Educating and Developing workers for the Green Economy (EDGE) projects.

Biotechnology Readiness, Immersion, Certificates and Degrees for Gainful Employment (BRIDGE) Project

The BRIDGE project will provide education, training, and placement services to more than 1,000 veterans, and incumbent, dislocated, or unemployed workers in the greater San Diego region. The grant facilitates connecting individuals to employment in biotechnology and the life sciences.

Programs offered through this project include noncredit training and community college and university education for individuals at high school, associate's, bachelor's, and graduate degree levels. These programs and additional services are designed to broaden opportunities for veterans, active duty military, and other members of the military community as well as unemployed, dislocated and incumbent workers by formalizing the connections between education/training and career pathways in biotechnology and the life sciences.

The BRIDGE project is designed to provide pathways to employment for students in high school through to students with advanced graduate degrees. Eligible students may enter and leave the project at various points having connected to biotechnology/life sciences companies through successful completion of one or more programs including practicum and/or internship experiences.

We are currently in the start-up phase of this project working very closely with grant partners and supporters. We are developing our web site and will be adding information as soon as it is available. To ensure that you obtain the latest information about the project, please be sure to visit this web site from time to time. To join our inquiry list and receive periodic BRIDGE project updates, please complete the form on this webpage.

Thank you again for your interest in this project. If you have any questions or if we may be of any further assistance, please contact: extended.std@sdsu.edu or call us at: (619) 594-6290 or (619) 594-5822.

Educating and Developing workers for the Green Economy (EDGE) Initiative


The California Department of Labor awarded the San Diego region with a $4 million grant to implement new workforce training programs for careers in the emerging biofuels industry. The San Diego Biofuels Initiative, a collaborative effort including CleanTECH San Diego, BIOCOM, BIOCOM Institute, San Diego Regional EDC, San Diego Center for Algae Biotechnology (SD-CAB) and the San Diego Workforce Partnership, captured the grant through the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency's "Green Innovation Challenge."

The Educating and Developing Workers for the Green Economy (EDGE Initiative) will provide education, training and placement services to unemployed and dislocated workers within San Diego and the Imperial Valley. The EDGE Initiative has designed a career-directed approach to help workers gain both employment and the skills and training necessary to move up the career ladder in an industry that will continue to flourish as governments and consumers worldwide seek cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels.

EDGE will create, execute and maintain training programs at the post-secondary, undergraduate, graduate and advanced degree levels including:

• The EDGE Initiative Programs Biofuels Production Certificate
• Biomass Production Certificate
• Biofuels Lab Tech Certificate
• Biofuels Crop Management Certificate
• Advance training in Biofuels Crop Research
• Biofuels Immersion Program
• BioCollaborative Biofuels Web Portal - designed to connect job seekers with industry

We are currently in the start-up phase of this project working very closely with grant partners and supporters. We are developing our website and will be adding information as soon as it is available.

Thank you again for your interest in this initiative. If you have any questions or to join our inquiry list please email edge@biocom.org.