New MiraCosta Career Institute Opens in Carlsbad

MiraCosta College and the City of Carlsbad are celebrating the opening of a new Technology Career Institute in a city-owned building where workers will be trained in the skills needed to fill the growing demand for industrial technicians in North San Diego County.

The 22,627-square-foot building opened on Monday [March 23] at 2075 Las Palmas Drive. The building houses the San Diego North Small Business Development Center, which provides resources, workshops and leadership programs for growing and established small businesses.

MiraCosta’s new Technology Career Institute will train skilled workers for such industries as high-tech manufacturing, maritime technology and biotech manufacturing. The new institute expands the college’s machinist certificate program and creates industry-recognized electronics engineering technician and robotics/automation certificate programs.

MiraCosta College Superintendent and President Dr. Sunny Cooke said the new Technology Career Institute will boost local industries and careers. “This wonderful new facility has been designed with extensive input from local industry professionals,” Cooke said. “It will provide students with real-world experience and assist them in securing local, well-paying jobs.” The institute offers accelerated 12-to-16-week programs where students will be immersed in a hands-on, skills-based environment.

The U.S. Department of Labor awarded MiraCosta College a $2.75 million grant to establish the Technology Career Institute, and the college approached the City of Carlsbad to see if the city could house the program.

City of Carlsbad Economic Development Manager Christina Vincent said the city had a vacant building on Las Palmas Drive that proved to be a good match for the college’s needs. The city approved a six-year lease for the $5,656.75 per month, or $67,881 annually, which the city estimates to be 65 percent below market rate.

“The MiraCosta Technology Career Institute is getting to the heart of what our workforce needs,” said City of Carlsbad Economic Development Manager Christina Vincent. “That’s why we partnered with MiraCosta — to help give our local and regional workforce the training that’s needed today.”

MiraCosta College Director of Community Services & Business Development Linda Kurokawa said that the new institute is the product of a partnership of private industry, the community college, and local and national governments.

“MiraCosta’s desire to expand critical work skills training has become a reality due to the generosity and support from the City of Carlsbad for the use of one of their city owned buildings,” Kurokawa said. “This has been tied together with the tremendous support from local industry, and a significant grant from the Department of Labor.”

She added that the new Technology Career Institute will be a center of innovative and high-level skills training for the incoming workforce. The institute combines lecture and hands-on technical instruction with state-of-the-art classrooms, labs and equipment.

“We are able to offer programs that are more accelerated and more nimble than traditional higher education, which is a great advantage to meet the needs of rapidly evolving technological changes,” Kurokawa said. “In addition, we now have the capacity to train the employees of North San Diego companies that are in urgent need of upgrading their skills too.”

The San Diego North Small Business Development Council is moving into the building from its current location at 1823 Mission Ave., Oceanside.

“By moving to Carlsbad we will be in a more central location to serve our clients, who come from all over North San Diego County,” said Sudershan Shaunak, director of the San Diego North Small Business Development Council, which serves about 800–1,000 small business owners and entrepreneurs annually.

“The new location will also provide a well-equipped classroom to provide business training through 100 workshops annually, and confidential offices to provide business advice to our small business owners,” Shaunak said.

For more information

Christina Vincent, 760-602-2712, [email protected]

On May 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., MiraCosta College and the City of Carlsbad will host an open house at the Technology Career Institute, 2075 Las Palmas Drive, Carlsbad.