Dear manufacturing, design, and research firms,

I’m reaching out to companies that do battery R&D or manufacturing, or those that use batteries in your products.

I'm applying for community college grant funds (approx $150k) to develop battery curriculum that could be used by the colleges, K-12 and others to help train technicians (and engineers) to work in the battery industry.

I would like to get a support letter (also see below) signed by Bay Area companies emphasizing the importance of such curriculum.

1) If you would be willing to sign the letter, please add your name, company, title, and email on the 2nd page of the Google doc, and I’ll send it around for digital signatures next week. The grant is due on April 17.

2) Or if your company would prefer to write your own letter, you’re welcome to do that and send it to me (markmartin@peralta.edu).

And please call or email if any questions.

Thanks,

Mark

****************************

Mark Martin, PhD

Regional Director - Adv Mfg | Employer Engagement

Bay Area Community Colleges

650 248-7728 (c)

markmartin@peralta.edu

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April 11, 2025

Bay Area Community Colleges

Regional Joint Venture (RJV) Review Committee

Subject: Letter of Support for RJV Application to Develop Battery Curriculum

Dear RJV Review Committee,

On behalf of the undersigned companies, we enthusiastically support the Regional Joint Venture (RJV) grant application to develop and deploy battery technology curriculum across Bay Area community colleges, adult education programs, and K–12 school systems.

Battery technology plays a critical role in the clean energy transition and is central to innovation across multiple sectors—from electric vehicles and grid storage to consumer electronics and industrial systems. As Bay Area companies engaged in the development, manufacturing, and integration of battery systems, we have a growing need for a skilled workforce that understands battery technologies at the technician and engineering support levels.

We currently hire (or will hire) for a wide range of roles, including electronics technicians, maintenance and process technicians, CAD specialists, mechatronics and automation technicians, and engineering assistants. Access to employees trained in battery fundamentals—including safety, chemistry, systems integration, and diagnostics—would significantly strengthen our operations and talent pipeline. Furthermore, we see an opportunity to use this curriculum to upskill our incumbent workforce, including engineers and technical staff.

We understand that this RJV proposal will:

Identify and adapt existing battery-related curricula already in use across the U.S.
Develop new modules where needed to address gaps in technician training.
Create modular, stackable content that can be integrated into existing CTE and STEM programs.
Work with interested faculty and administrators to deploy curriculum as needed.
Connect industry with participating colleges to support student career pathways.

As industry partners, we commit to supporting this effort by:

Reviewing existing curriculum and identifying content gaps relative to current and future industry needs.
Offering access to employee subject-matter experts to help develop and/or validate curriculum content.
Partnering with community colleges to provide student engagement opportunities, such as guest speakers, tours, or other work-based learning activities.
Promoting technician-level career pathways through direct communication with faculty and students about job opportunities, internships, etc.

The battery sector represents a rapidly growing economic cluster for the Bay Area, and we believe this project will provide essential infrastructure for workforce development in our region. We look forward to collaborating with the community college system to ensure that students gain the knowledge and skills needed to enter this exciting and essential field.

Sincerely,
Bay Area company representatives