Biotechnology Lab Assistant

This certificate program is designed to prepare students for entry-level jobs as laboratory assistants in biotechnology and related fields. There are no prerequisites required. 

Upon successful completion of this program,:

1. Students will have a fundamental understanding of the applications of a biotechnology lab.
2. Students will have a fundamental overview of the underlying principles of biotechnology.
3. Students will know how to operate and maintain standard laboratory equipment.
4. Students will know how to read and follow SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures).
5. Students will know how to maintain a laboratory notebook to industry standards.
   

Summer 2022 - 10

Summer 2023 - 12

Summer 2024 - 15

The Biotechnology Lab Assistant Certificate of Achievement prepares students for entry-level bioscience-related careers in industry and academia.  This certificate has no prerequisites and is designed to train students quickly so they can move directly into gainful employment, transfer to university research labs, or advance to our higher level biotechnology certificates and AS degree.  Students who may benefit from this program include current and recent high school students, continuing education students, veterans and students changing careers or updating skills, or students preparing to transfer to 4-year bachelor programs and beyond. 

Students completing this program will have a fundamental understanding of the biology and chemistry principles necessary to perform standard methods and procedures in biotechnology and related fields. This program will focus on hands-on training with industry-standard equipment, so that students completing this course of study will know how to read and follow standard operating procedures, maintain a laboratory notebook to industry standards, utilize basic laboratory mathematics, properly label, inventory & handle laboratory chemicals and hazardous waste, and be proficient in the operation and maintenance of standard laboratory equipment.

This certificate is intended as an entry-level career education certificate which can be a quick pathway to an entry-level job in industry or an academic lab or as a foundation for our AS Biotechnology degree.  This certificate does not require any prerequisites.  We realize that students often hear about this certificate while already enrolled in core biology courses.  So we are willing to give credit for courses such as cellular & molecular biology or microbiology courses in place of the CI-D 101X equivalent Bio 190/L (Intro to Biotech) course. 

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
Bio 190 (or Bio 211 or Bio 229 or Bio 139)	Intro to Biotech (or Cell. Molec. Bio or Gen. Micro or Health Micro)	3	S1
Bio 190L	Intro to Biotech Lab	1	S1
Bio 191	Biotech A:  Basic Skills	4	S1 or S2
Chem 209/H	Intro Chem	4	S1

This certificate is the entry level certificate in a three level certificate program. Each certificate builds upon the previous one. The certificates were developed together. This certificate has previously been a certificate of proficiency. This certificate provides the foundational skills for the other certificates. All courses in the certifcate programs can be applied to our AS Biotechnology degree and transfer to the Biomanufacturing BS degrees at Solano and Mira Costa Colleges.

Santiago Canyon, Fullerton, and Irvine Valley Colleges all have similar programs. We created these programs together and continue to develop curriculum, write grants, share equipment, and host advisory meetings, student recruitment and community outreach events together.

30 students