nr010308advisory

News Release Archive

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. COC-08-076
January 3, 2008

College Receives $1.3 Million Tech Grant

Subject: Check Presentation Ceremony

Time: 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4, 2008

Place: The check presentation ceremony will be held on the College of the Canyons Valencia campus, Aliso Laboratory Building, Room 113.

Contact: John McElwain, (661) 362-3494

Participants:

U.S. Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, 25th Congressional District
Mr. Sandy Baruah, Asst. Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development
Mr. Ernie Tichenor, President, College of the Canyons Board of Trustees
Dr. Barry Gribbons, Assistant Superintendent/Vice President, Institutional Development, Technology and Online Services

Event: A check for $1.3 million from the Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration will be presented to College of the Canyons by Asst. Secretary Baruah and Congressman McKeon. The money will be used by the college to develop and support a new Emerging Technologies training program, the only such program in Southern California to train workers.

Between 1990 and 2003, California lost 372,000 manufacturing jobs, while Los Angeles County saw a decline of more than 300,000 factory workers. This program, a joint effort of the Engineering and Biology departments, along with the Economic Development Division at COC, will help prepare workers for new, high wage jobs in advanced manufacturing and biomed/biotech companies.

Manufacturing creates 2.5 additional secondary jobs for every new manufacturing job. Manufacturing jobs generate four and one-half times more secondary employment than retail jobs. In addition, the United States Department of Labor estimates that biological technicians, a key biotechnology occupation, are expected to grow significantly by 2012, outpacing the growth of biological scientists.

COC will purchase equipment to train laboratory technicians for employment in companies using biotechnology, nanotechnology and autonomous technology. The advanced equipment needed for this program will be located in the new Science Lab Building (Aliso Laboratory) on the campus.

College of the Canyons
Valencia campus: 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91355 • (661) 259-7800
Canyon Country campus: 17200 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country, CA 91351 • (661) 476-3800