From the federal to the state level, governments are giving a boost to new technology and energy sources. President-elect Obama promised five million "green collar" jobs. Governor Kulongoski is working to bring electric cars--and related manufacturing plants--to the state. There are also numerous long-term and emerging "green" businesses already in Oregon. KLCC's Jes Burns has the second in our Special Issues series on the economy.
SOLARPRO | December/January 2009 By Lisa Cohn and Elisa Wood, with Charles Thurston
Community and junior colleges have stepped up to train workers for the emerging green-collar economy. Solar companies partner with colleges to help them develop curriculum materials and design programs, particularly for solar installers—then they recruit their graduates. “The community college system is an excellent way for employers to find well-qualified applicants. Part of the reason is that we’re so connected to the industry,” says John Carrese, director of the San Francisco Bay Center of Excellence, hosted at City College of San Francisco.
Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon, for instance, offers an Energy Management Technician degree with an optional emphasis on renewable energy. The rigorous 100-credit program is housed in the Science Division and is ISPQ accredited by the Institute of Sustainable Power. Program Coordinator Roger Ebbage says the program began in September 2003 and has seen this year’s enrollment nearly triple the first year’s.
Oregon Built Environment & Sustainable Technologies Center - oregonbest.org
...Oregon leads the nation in recruiting and supporting solar energy companies that have open access to our university network of cutting-edge solar research facilities and world-renowned faculty researchers.
In addition, Oregon’s colleges and universities are educating new graduates who are highly trained in solar energy technologies and have hands-on experience in solar research labs. These men and women are ready to meet the growing workforce needs of Oregon’s booming solar energy sector...
On October 5, 2008, three Lane Community College Energy Management students, working in conjunction with representatives from the City of Eugene Planning and Development Office, the Eugene Water and Electric Board, Solar Oregon, the American Solar Energy Society and the Northwest Energy Education Institute, will present the 2008 Eugene Solar Tour!
Renewable Energy Technician Program awarded ISPQ Accreditation
The Interstate Renewable Energy Council is pleased to announce that the Lane Community College Renewable Energy Technician Program has been awarded the ISPQ Accreditation credential.” - July 31, 2007 More Info
Tuesday, 08 July 2008 15:17
The Sierra Club gives a “thumbs up” to our 2-yr degree programs!
See the article on their Website and the full page highlighting our programs in their newly released report “Power2Change: Energy Choices and the 2008 elections”
The Energy Management Program has expanded from a focus on residential energy efficiency to tackling the gargantuan need for commercial energy conservation solutions.
Friday, 11 April 2008 19:09
Finding a future - and a calling - in solar electricity
By Barbara Grady STAFFWRITER InsideBayArea.com Article Created: 04/11/2008 11:58:38 AM PDT
Mark Hilsabeck (NEEI renewable energy technician graduate) climbs a ladder to the roof of a home in Berkeley more than a dozen times in a morning, sometimes carrying solar panels weighing 30 pounds each, other times tools and electrical equipment.
"We are planning on adding 200 workers in the next two years," Rive said. His company has been growing rapidly since its founding in July 2006. It has already hired 210 people.
Demand for workers schooled in renewable energy is booming in Lane County — and it’s spreading
The Register-Guard: Business By Diane Dietz Published: April 6, 2008
The once-beleaguered program that was cut in 1997 from the school’s general fund is producing graduates now who are in high demand. “It’s an exciting, vibrant green-collar job area,” Ebbage said. “We haven’t seen this before. It’s mainstream. It’s front page news.” The New York Times last week cited Ebbage’s program as one of the promising green- collar educational initiatives nationally.
As business and industry are taking more interest in renewable energy, academia is not far behind. Anticipating increased demand for new technical and design skills, colleges and universities across the nation are offering degree programs in the field.
More community colleges are offering one-year certificates and two-year associate degrees in building and installing clean-energy systems. Lane Community College, in Eugene, Ore., trains renewable-energy technicians in a two-year program that teaches students how to improve the energy efficiency of homes and businesses and install solar-power and wind-power systems.
Lane Community College Awarded ISPQ Accreditation for Renewable Energy Technician Program
ISPQ: Training Accreditation News & Updates 31.07.07 12:46
The Interstate Renewable Energy Council is pleased to announce that Lane Community College has been awarded the ISPQ Accreditation credential for their Renewable Energy Technician Program. The Renewable Energy Technician program is offered by the Energy Management Program Department which is a component of the Science Division at Lane Community College.
klcc_northwestpassage_greenjobs.mp3
solarpro_pg70_cohn.pdf
