There isn't a specific number of Fieldwork Mentor and the more the better! Over the next few years, we will establish a pool of Fieldwork Mentors through the Northwest and then seek additional individuals where there is a geographical void!

The number of students Fieldwork Mentored at one time depends on how many students have registered for one of our classes in the Fieldwork Mentor's utility service area.

The amount of time a Fieldwork Mentor spends with his/her student will depend on the course in which the student is enrolled. Each course will have a specific lab or labs where the students needs assistance. The level of work is determined before the course begins.

The level of involvement will depend on the term. Each class has a different level of Fieldwork Mentor involvement. The program offers each course once a year. For instance, once our winter term Residential Energy has been offered, it will not be offered again until the next winter term so a Fieldwork Mentor who can demonstrate the use of a blower door will not be needed until then.

A Fieldwork Mentor is an individual with the expertise to demonstrate to a student, a pre-identified task related to commercial energy efficiency. It could be demonstrating how to use dataloggers, identifying light source types or showing how to conduct a commercial building walk-through energy audit.

Most fully online programs do not have a lab or skill development requirement where students must go into the field to experience a theory learned in "class" which is typical for Career Technical courses. This program is unique because, as a career technical program, we require students complete field work with assistance from Fieldwork Mentors.