Five projects will connect Californians to training and quality jobs in two emerging industries including at two Bay Area sites

By Anna Champe, Communications Manager, California Workforce Development Board

SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) today announced $5,744,665 million in Workforce Accelerator Fund (WAF) 14 awards to five projects that will help Californians prepare for and access quality jobs in the state’s growing quantum and fusion industries.

The awards build on Governor Newsom’s recent announcement of new investments and legislation to advance California’s leadership in quantum technology and fusion energy. Quantum and fusion are priority sectors identified in California’s State Economic Blueprint, underscoring the need to support a skilled workforce to drive these emerging industries.

“Expanding on recent state investments in quantum, WAF 14 gives regions across the state an opportunity to prepare workers for these emerging industries,” said Kaina Pereira, Executive Director of the California Workforce Development Board. “By bringing together employers, educators, and workforce partners, these investments will help address key barriers to growth, strengthen California’s workforce, and create new opportunities for Californians.”

The Workforce Accelerator Fund has awarded more than $40 million since 2018 to support partnerships that test, scale, and replicate innovative approaches to workforce development. WAF 14 continues this investment by advancing career pathways in quantum, fusion, and related occupations, connecting Californians to industry-recognized credentials, training, and jobs, including those that do not require a four-year degree.

“Accelerator funds are the first grant I’ve ever worked with that allowed us to try out different solutions and figure out what works best for our individuals,” said Marni Roosevelt, WAF 9 grantee and Director of the Family Resource Center at Los Angeles Valley College.

Watch their success story to learn how WAF helps organizations expand services and create opportunities for Californians facing barriers to employment.

Accelerator 14 Awards

• $1.5 M for San Jose State University Research Foundation, Quantum Computing Hardware Design – creates a three-tier certificate program that prepares students and workers for careers in quantum computing hardware. The program offers flexible pathways from high school through university, with options to enter the workforce or advance to the next certificate level.
• $1.03 M for University of California, Berkeley, Northern California Quantum Training Pipeline – Develops and pilots a regional quantum workforce pipeline from grades 9 through 16, connecting students and job seekers to quantum careers. The project will create an implementation plan for coordinated training at the associate and bachelor’s levels, along with an 8- to 13-week industry-verified credential.
• $993,900 for University of California, Santa Barbara, Q-COAST – establishes a training pathway for hardware technician careers that does not require a four-year degree. The program will prepare workers for jobs in superconductivity, photonic integrated circuits, quantum optics, and fusion.
• $746,040 for Valley Vision, Inc., Quantum Capital – creates a regional workforce system for Greater Sacramento by defining the quantum economy and skills needed, aligning training and credentials with employer needs, and connecting K-12 education through college to quantum careers.
• $1.48 M for University of California, San Diego, Fusion CAL Career Pathway – creates a career pathway from high school through college and university to in-demand fusion jobs. Serving an estimated 160 participants, the pathway includes a stackable, industry-recognized certificate that can be earned in 13 weeks.

Since 2019, CWDB has awarded more than $596 million to support workforce development projects across the state, serving more than 80,500 participants. Grounded in equity, quality jobs, and climate resilience, these investments help Californians with employment challenges, access supportive services, develop in-demand skills, earn industry-recognized credentials, and connect to quality jobs that offer opportunities for long-term career growth.

About CWDB

The California Workforce Development Board forges partnerships with businesses, labor, and government to build an economy defined by equity, quality jobs, and climate resiliency that challenges systemic barriers toward shared economic prosperity.