Path, Dropbox, Pinterest, Airbnb. They’re some of the most high-profile startups in the world. And now through March 10, the Designer Fund is accepting applications for a new program called Bridge that will allow designers to take a whirl working there.

“These companies are asking for people who don’t even exist right now, a handful of designers in the world that can produce what they’re looking for,” Allen says. “And schools can only go so far. There’s nothing for mid- to senior-level folks to go in and continue to build on their skills. There’s a gap.” A skilled industrial designer has honed a specialized toolset that can be difficult to retrofit without a new wave of study–and study where, exactly? Allen refers to Bridge as something akin to “a PhD or postdoc for designers,” a way for the best and the brightest to keep learning and contributing on the cutting edge. “Even if you have cut your teeth on mobile, there’s always another Android device coming out and different gestures emerging,” Allen says. Ongoing education is now just part of keeping up, especially in the Valley.

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1671874/bridge-design-residencies-will-offer-plum-jobs-at-path-pinterest-and-airbnb?partner=newsletter