Planning Grant for a Midwest Center of Excellence in Wind Energy & Biofuel Technician Education

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The project is to begin planning to develop a Midwest Center of Excellence for Technician Education that will specialize in the training of wind energy and biofuel plant technicians. The center, beginning with a university and two partner community colleges, is likely to undertake a wide range of technician education activities associated with wind turbines and biofuel plants, including: 1. Improving programs and professional development for educators; 2. Developing a consortium of community colleges and universities to assess technician certification needs and career pathways; 3. Recruiting industry partners who will assist the center in sustainability models, certification standards, and develop internships and job opportunities for technicians; 4. Collecting, adapting, and implementing existing proven curricula materials, and assisting partners in the development of new materials as required; 5. Partnering with regional economic development agencies to promote the economic value of a trained technician pool; 6. Leading the implementation and upgrading of sustainable energy technician programs at many of the 2-year post-secondary institutions in the Midwest, and developing articulation agreements with select 4-year institutions; and 7. Expanding existing outreach efforts to help recruit underrepresented students to green energy careers. During the planning phase the partners are 1) establishing agreements with academic and industry partners, 2) developing a sustainability model, 3) defining the existing resource gap, 4) articulating the role that the center can play in closing the gap, 5) benchmarking best practices of other ATE Centers, and 6) identifying potential members of a National Visiting Committee.