BERKELEY, Calif., December 20, 2022 – On December 19, 2022, Bayer announced an investment of more than $1.5 million with Berkeley City College and 12 other Berkeley non-profits to advance Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) education over the next three to five years and to drive resiliency in its West Berkeley neighborhood.
The agreement between Bayer and Berkeley City College (BCC) is for expanding equitable and inclusive access to biotechnology careers for Berkeley High School graduates attending BCC. Specifically, Bayer has committed to hiring Berkeley High graduates now studying at BCC in paid internships. These students will receive work-based training supported by Bayer, including mentoring by Bayer staff.
“I’m grateful to the Berkeley City Council for their commitment to Berkeley residents by ensuring the 30-year development agreement with Bayer included support for Berkeley High graduates pursuing bioscience training. And I’m thrilled to be working with Bayer to create jobs and career opportunities for the students at Berkeley City College,” said Dr. Angélica Garcia, BCC President. “These internships offer a path into well-paying jobs in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries for our diverse student population, many of whom are women and from historically minoritized communities who traditionally have not had such intentional opportunities available to them. This is a real pathway to change people's lives for the better for generations to come.”
Christopher Lewis, Dean of Math, Science, and Career Education at Berkeley City College, added, “This partnership between BCC, Bayer, the Berkeley High School Regional Occupational Program in Biotechnology (BHS CTE-Biotech), and the Biotech Partners Biotech Academy will increase access to biotechnology academic and work-based training for Berkeley High School students who are from low-income families and other groups that historically have been underrepresented in STEAM careers. In addition to the internships, Bayer will be providing full tuition, fee and instructional materials (including laptops) support for BHS CTE-Biotech alumni per year while at BCC.”
The program also offers embedded tutoring support in applicable classes, support for additional career and academic coaching from Berkeley Biotech Partners, and a community of practice between BHS faculty, BCC faculty, and staff from Biotech Partners to develop best practices and calibrate instruction and student services for students matriculating from BHS CTE-Biotech. Additionally, BHS graduates participating in the program can also take biomanufacturing classes from Laney College, a sister college within the Peralta Community College District.
Enrollment is open for the spring semester at Berkeley City College. Berkeley High School graduates looking to participate in this program should visit www.berkeleycitycollege.edu to apply and enroll in the college.