Our goal is to have students get hands on, high quality experiences equal to, or better than, they would receive in a college laboratory environment — and you can make it happen!
We’re seeking individuals who are able to demonstrate job tasks related to commercial energy efficiency and water conservation.
Through a National Science Foundation Advanced Technology Education grant, Lane Community College is expanding energy efficiency and water conservation educational opportunities to students across the Western United States. Online degrees are fairly commonplace in many sectors of higher education but career- technical education (CTE) lags behind, in large part due to the hands-on fieldwork requirements of CTE type programs. Together, we can overcome that obstacle by establishing a network of utility fieldwork mentors who can provide essential energy or water-related field experiences.
Although students will be getting the majority of their training hours through online classes, it is imperative that we connect “book smarts” to real-life experiences. That’s where a utilities’ expertise and industry connections can provide huge value to any educational training.
Check out the 
FAQ for more in-depth questions & answers.
Signup to be a Fieldwork Mentor
Simply provide your Name/Email address and we’ll contact you with additional information if a student in your area signs up for classes.
Help us spread the word!
Here are some ways we could really use your help.
- Hang a poster on your companies bulletin board*.
- Bring brochures to a student job fair*.
- Mention our program in your company newsletter*.
- Host an information session for prospective students.
- Collaborate with us to co-market services.
- Like us and our posts on Facebook!
* We will provide you with marketing materials!
Why Mentor?
- Directly assist in training a pool of future employees.
- Share. Encourage. Teach.
- Inspire somebody who’s new to the industry.
- Give back to your industry & community.
- Build a better equipped Energy Efficiency industry.
What do Students Learn?
Students who complete the program, will graduate with a 2-year Associates of Applied Science Degree in Energy Management from Lane Community College. This degree is is transferable to a 2-year completion bachelor’s degree via South Seattle College.
Students learn how to evaluate energy use patterns; recommend energy efficiency techniques; and perform systems analysis to solve problems.
Topics include: commercial building systems, lighting, electrical fundamentals, glazing, insulation & envelope, heating & cooling fundamentals, secondary HVAC, central plants, BAS systems & controls, energy auditing process & techniques, data-logging, investment analysis & payback plus building benchmarking & tracking energy use.
Fieldwork Mentoring Examples
- demonstrate how to properly setup a blower door, read a manometer and point out different residential weatherization measures.
- Facilitate a tour of a rooftop hvac unit to identify direction of air ow and major components.
- assist in identifying different lamp types and ballasts. identify luminaire components, use a light meter and compare light quality differences (lumens, color, distribution, effcacy).
Top FAQ's
Check out the Fieldwork Mentor FAQ page for more in-depth questions & answers.
Q: How much time is needed?
A: About 1-2 days/term.
• Not all courses require fieldwork
• Depends on the course/term
• Labs are a mix of observational, data collection and hands-on skill building
* Additional engagement is certainly appreciated but not expected
Q: Is this an internship?
A: Nope.
• Project based
• Conducted over 1-2 days • Limited in scope
* While the degree also requires an internship, it is not assumed that you are interested or able to provide one.
Q: Do I evaluate student’s work?
A: Not really.
• Submit 4-5 pt. electronic checklist • Note attendance/involvement
* Online Instructor uses checklist and student submission to evaluate lab work.
Q: Who’s liable if things go wrong?
A: We are*.
• Students who are enrolled are extensively covered by the College’s liability policy.
* Barring legal scenarios where the College itself can not be held liable (i.e. gross negligence). Proof of coverage will be provided upon request.