The first students aren’t set to arrive until the fall, yet those who will matriculate as part of the first class at the Gloucester Biotechnology Academy in the Blackburn Industrial Park already are the recipients of good news.

The first class at the academy established by the Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute will attend the cutting-edge vocational training academy free of charge, with local donations underwriting the costs of tuition, books and all fees related to their nine-month training as biotechnology technicians.