Advancing Training Pathways for the Sustainable Energy Workforce

太平洋西北部地区的可再生能源企业密度很高，需要技术熟练的劳动力。贝灵汉技术学院与西华盛顿大学(WWU)和太平洋西北地区清洁能源卓越中心(CENTER)密切合作，正在开发可持续能源的应用科学副学士学位(AAS-T)，为技术人员级别的就业做准备，并提供无缝转移到WWU学士学位课程的选项。可持续能源学位中包括的联合开发课程提高了对普通教育的要求，包括应用数学和科学课程，为学生进入大学做好充分准备。该计划的一个重要而新颖的特点是包括专门的证书选项，使毕业生能够进入该行业，成为几个技术专业的训练有素的技术人员。AAS-T学位提供了一个将模型输出到其他州的重要机会。这种路径模式展示了一种新的提供培训的方式和一种新的教学方式。这种模式是在一个为期两年的开放式机构提供的，为传统上服务不足的社区成员提供了新的培训机会。该学院非常注重为非传统学生提供服务，并正在努力增加进入高级技术培训的女性人数。该学位提供了新的机会，以获得有意义的和适用的教育，并在一个不断增长和高薪的职业领域确保就业。为了最大限度地使地区劳动力与教育经验保持一致，该中心正在召集和促进现有利益相关者中的行业焦点小组，以获得对可持续能源新兴领域的有针对性的投入。一旦编制完成，该项目将通过利用该中心在能源部赠款下开发的能源职业门户网站来传播这些行业驱动的培训标准。这种职业格子已经在六个州的地区使用，这种新材料的加入增加了它的实用性，并服务于西北部各州的学生和教育工作者受众。在所有级别上，对可持续能源技术培训的需求迫切且日益增长。该学院是技术教育的领先者，长期以响应行业需求而闻名，聘请经验丰富的技术专家作为教员，并保持尖端的应用学习实验室。合作伙伴提供科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)教育、研究和最佳实践传播方面的专业知识，并不仅彼此建立了关系，而且与行业领导者建立了关系。该项目的主要团队成员是经验丰富的教育工作者、研究人员和行业专家。华盛顿州有一个相互关联的两年制大学系统，由州社区与技术学院委员会支持，该委员会鼓励创新，并提供一个有效的平台来分享最佳实践。

The Pacific Northwest region has a high density of renewable energy businesses that require a technologically skilled workforce. Bellingham Technical College, in close collaboration with Western Washington University (WWU) and the Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy (Center), is developing an Associate in Applied Science-Transfer Degree (AAS-T) in Sustainable Energy, which offers both preparation for technician level employment and the option of seamless transfer to a baccalaureate degree program at WWU. The jointly developed curriculum included in the Sustainable Energy Degree has enhanced general education requirements, including applied math and science courses that adequately prepare students to enter a university. A significant and novel feature of this program is the inclusion of specialized certificate options enabling graduates to enter the industry as trained technicians in several technical specializations. The AAS-T degree provides a significant opportunity to export the model to other states. This pathway model demonstrates a new way of offering training as well as a new way of teaching. Being offered at a 2-year open-door institution, this model provides new training opportunities for traditionally under-served community members. The college has a strong focus on serving nontraditional students and is working to increase the number of women entering advanced technology training. This degree offers new opportunities to obtain meaningful and applicable education and secure employment in a growing and well-paid career field.To maximize regional workforce alignment with the educational experience, the Center is convening and facilitating industry focus groups from among their existing stakeholders to obtain targeted input on emerging fields in Sustainable Energy. Once compiled, the project will disseminate these industry-driven training standards by leveraging an energy careers web portal developed by the Center under a Department of Energy grant. This career lattice is already in use throughout a six-state region and the inclusion of this new material adds to its usefulness as well as serves a student and educator audience in Northwestern states.There is an immediate and growing need for sustainable energy technological training at all levels. The college is a leader in technical education with a long-standing reputation for responding to industry needs by employing experienced technical experts as faculty and maintaining cutting edge applied learning labs. The partners provide expertise in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, research, and best practice dissemination and have established relationships with not only each other, but with industry leaders. The key team members for this project are experienced educators, researchers, and industry experts. Washington State has an interconnected two-year college system supported by the State Board of Community & Technical Colleges which encourages innovation and provides an efficient platform to share best practices.