(C4) Community Colleges Confronting the Conundrum): A job market transformation model for renewable energy technician training

伊利诺伊州坎卡基社区学院（KCC）与中西部可再生能源协会（MREA）合作，正在为社区学院开发可再生能源就业市场转型模型，将其纳入可再生能源技术人员项目。该项目在帮助改善可再生能源技术人员培训的同时，还与雇主合作，扩大中西部可再生能源就业市场。主要的项目目标是：(a)改善本科技术教育，重点培训社区学院教师的太阳能光伏技术和教学技能；(b)为社区学院建立可再生能源工作转换模型，将其纳入现有的可再生能源计划；(c)通过将教师与在线实践社区联系起来，加强社区学院可再生能源技术人员培训的基础设施和支持。这个前瞻性的三年项目正在创建一种技术人员培训模式，在印第安纳州、爱荷华州、密歇根州、明尼苏达州、俄亥俄州和威斯康星州的其他六所社区学院复制。通过教师专业发展和课程的传播和调整，该项目解决了可再生能源技术人员安装、维护和维修可再生能源设备和系统的预测和增加的区域需求。该项目旨在提高教师对太阳能光伏发电的技术知识，提高可再生能源的教学技能，培训当地电力从业人员关于太阳能光伏发电的安装、维护和维修，并增加经过认证的太阳能现场评估人员的数量，以提高太阳能安装水平。该项目通过与可再生能源企业、雇主、房主和MREA合作，促进可再生能源就业增长，使从这些社区学院可再生能源项目毕业的学生立即获得就业机会。这种综合的可再生能源技术人员培训和就业市场转型模式在解决可再生能源技术人员培训和就业增长的需求和供给方面都是独一无二的。该项目将制作一本复制手册，以指导中西部和全国其他社区学院创建或加强类似的AAS学位和证书课程，并将这些课程与地区就业市场转型模式相结合。由此产生的实践社区将通过支持教师分享招聘、培训和支持学生作为可再生能源技术人员取得成功的有效实践，以及通过分享与可再生能源雇主合作创造更多可再生能源工作的有效实践知识，进一步加强这些努力。

1204251---Wilhelm Public AbstractKankakee Community College (KCC) in Illinois, in collaboration with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), is developing a renewable energy job market transformation model for community colleges to incorporate into their renewable energy technician programs. The project is simultaneously helping to improve the training of renewable energy technicians while also working with employers to expand the renewable energy job market in the Midwest. The primary project goals are: (a) to improve undergraduate technology education with a focus on training of community college faculty in solar photovoltaic technology and teaching skills, (b) to establish a renewable energy job transformation model for community colleges to incorporate into their existing renewable energy programs, and (c) to enhance the infrastructure and support for renewable energy technician training at community colleges by linking faculty in an online community of practice. This forward-thinking, three-year project is creating a technician-training model to be replicated at six other community colleges in Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Through faculty professional development and curriculum dissemination and adaptation, this project addresses predicted, increased, regional demand for renewable energy technicians to install, maintain, and repair renewable energy equipment and systems. The project is designed to increase faculty technical knowledge about solar photovoltaics, enhance teaching skills about renewable energy, train local electrical practitioners about solar photovoltaics installation, maintenance and repair, and increase the number of certified solar site assessors to enhance solar installations. The project promotes renewable energy job growth through collaborations with renewable energy businesses, employers, homeowners, and MREA so that students graduating from these community college renewable energy programs will have immediate opportunities for employment.This integrated renewable energy technician training and job market transformation model is unique in addressing both the demand and supply side components of renewable energy technician training and job growth. The project will produce a replication handbook to guide other community colleges in the Midwest and across the nation in creating or strengthening similar AAS degree and certificate programs and in integrating these programs with regional job market transformation models. The resulting community of practice will further strengthen these efforts by supporting faculty to share effective practices in recruiting, training and supporting the success of students as renewable energy technicians, and by sharing knowledge about effective practices in engaging renewable energy employers as partners in the creation of additional renewable energy jobs.