Yes. The project will have an outside evaluator required by the NSF. Students will be asked to submit a simple evaluation of their Fieldwork Mentorship experience. The Fieldwork Mentor will have the opportunity to receive whatever evaluations and feedback is available.

At the current time - No. We are in the business of educating students and while we are unable to generate enough cashflow to be able to compensate Fieldwork Mentors for their time, there are many other benefits that will be realized by becoming a Fieldwork Mentor.

We always encourage students to complete their educational objectives which may be finishing a two-year degree or simply obtaining employment after taking a few energy efficiency classes. One of the benefits of Fieldwork Mentoring is the potential of discovering a gem of an employee. If a Fieldwork Mentor is interested in hiring a Mentee, the decision to become an employee is up to the student. Because this is an online program, it is easier for students to work and continue their educational pursuits compared to a traditional classroom learning environment.

While typically a student will be given a Fieldwork Mentor, there may be an instance where the Fieldwork Mentor will suggest that an individual enroll in the Energy Management Program which essentially is the Fieldwork Mentor selecting his/her Mentee.

The benefits of being a Fieldwork Mentor are many. For the Fieldwork Mentor, the satisfaction of assisting an aspiring energy expert is huge and a way of paying forward through their own (Fieldwork Mentor's) expertise. As a utility employee, participating in the advancement of the community is very valuable to the mission of the utility. Helping to train the next generation of energy experts may just generate the next energy expert working for the utility!

Fieldwork Mentors will typically Fieldwork Mentor a student during daily work hours while conducting a normal work exercise. There are no plans to reimburse for mileage.

A Fieldwork Mentor will meet with a student during a term in which the student needs to conduct field work to accomplish a course objective. Staff at NWEEI and/or the course instructor will communicate with the Fieldwork Mentor as soon as a student is registered in their service area. Once the term begins, it is up to the student to contact the Fieldwork Mentor directly and make arrangements to complete the work. Depending on the course, they may meet with the student once or multiple times during the term.