Smart Start to Skilled Technical Careers in Energy Management Technology

能源管理技术领域熟练技术职业的明智开端

• 批准号: 2055555
• 负责人: Howard Herrild
• 金额: $ 48.93万
• 依托单位: Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-07-01 至 2024-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2055555&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Smart; Start; Skilled; Technical; Careers

The future of energy use is changing as smart technologies integrate with traditional mechanical systems to control lighting, ventilation, security, and other functions in residential and industrial buildings. For example, modern building controls now include devices such as Wi-Fi enabled lighting controls with daylight sensors, carbon-dioxide sensors to control ventilation rates, and power load alarms for critical needs like food refrigeration. As a result, the need for skilled energy technicians has grown and the skills they need are more complex. In Northeast Wisconsin, the demand for energy management technicians continues to exceed the supply of qualified applicants. Thus, new strategies are needed to address shortages and create a workforce of skilled technicians to manage these technologies. In this project, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College will partner with local employers to increase the number of skilled energy management technicians. Specifically, the project intends to develop an energy management educational program that bridges mechanical equipment engineering skills with information technology and computational skills. The program will be designed to prepare a skilled technical workforce that will address energy management needs in an increasingly internet-connected, global society.Faculty in the existing Energy Management Technology program and the College’s K-12 relations manager will collaborate with industry and secondary education representatives to educate students, instructors, and educational leaders about today’s smart technology-driven building control systems. Through this partnership, the project plans to: create an Energy Controls Career Pathway Certificate as an entry-level pathway credential; increase energy career and education awareness, with attention to recruiting more women to a field traditionally dominated by men; provide curriculum, hands-on resources, training, and supports for high school instructors to deliver a one-credit course in the Certificate; and launch the full Certificate as an entry-level credential through dual credit delivery for high school juniors and seniors. This project has the potential to create a replicable model for meeting employer demand for skilled technicians. Ultimately, it is anticipated that the project will support reductions in the cost of smart energy installations and maintenance, benefiting the environment, as well as consumer health and finances. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

随着智能技术与传统机械系统相结合，在住宅和工业建筑中控制照明、通风、安全以及其他功能，未来的能源使用正在发生变化。例如，现代建筑控制现在包括诸如带日光传感器的Wi-Fi照明控制、用于控制通风率的二氧化碳传感器以及用于食品冷藏等关键需求的电力负荷警报等设备。因此，对熟练的能源技术人员的需求增加了，他们所需的技能也更加复杂。在威斯康辛州东北部，对能源管理技术人员的需求继续超过合格申请人的供应。因此，需要新的战略来解决短缺问题，并创造一支熟练的技术人员队伍来管理这些技术。在这个项目中，东北威斯康辛技术学院将与当地雇主合作，增加熟练的能源管理技术人员的数量。具体来说，该项目打算开发一个能源管理教育计划，将机械设备工程技能与信息技术和计算技能联系起来。该计划旨在培养熟练的技术劳动力，以解决日益互联网连接的全球社会的能源管理需求。现有能源管理技术项目的教师和学院的K-12关系经理将与行业和中等教育代表合作，向学生、教师和教育领导者传授当今智能技术驱动的建筑控制系统。通过这种伙伴关系，该项目计划：创建能源控制职业路径证书作为入门级路径证书；提高对能源事业和教育的认识，注意在传统上由男子主导的领域征聘更多的妇女；为高中教师提供课程、实践资源、培训和支持，以提供一学分的证书课程；并推出完整的证书作为入门级证书，通过双学分交付高中三年级和四年级。这个项目有可能创造一个可复制的模式，以满足雇主对熟练技术人员的需求。最终，预计该项目将有助于降低智能能源安装和维护的成本，有利于环境以及消费者的健康和财务。该项目由先进技术教育计划资助，该计划侧重于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。