Minnesota Colleges Launch Sustainable Energy Degree Program

Nine Minnesota community and state colleges are introducing a new degree program this fall for aspiring “Innovative Energy Technician” candidates. That’s the name of the associates degree that will be conferred by these schools, following a course of study focused on renewable methods of generating traditional energy.

According to the Worthington, Minnesota newspaper The Daily Globe the basic associate’s degree program is accompanied by the introduction of four certificate programs in areas of specialization. Along with the degree a student may obtain certification in ethanol production, biodiesel production, wind turbine maintenance, or solar assessment. The degree program and all of the certificate options will be offered online.

The associate’s program is an applied science degree that may offer excellent employment prospects. The development and introduction of the program has been funded by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor’s High Growth Job Training Initiative. Clearly the federal job statisticians see opportunities in this field.

The school system, however, recognizes that this program is just the first in a work environment that remains largely undefined. Gail O’Kane, the system’s director for education-industry partnerships, said the program “also recognizes that a great deal of uncertainty remains about which energy sources will prevail over time — wind, hydrogen, biomass or some as-yet-unknown technology. But with a core set of skills, students will be well-positioned to complete additional training quickly as new energy technologies emerge.”

Many of the jobs emerging in the renewable energy field are highly technical. Once alternative energy sources are established, for example, it will still require work from professionals with electrical engineering degrees to link those sources to the existing power grid.

The level of education required to institute sustainable energy programs will climb as the technology is developed and becomes a viable option; Ms. O’Kane’s comment makes that fact clear. Nevertheless it is refreshing to see a school system take the first step and introduce career-oriented educational opportunities in the sustainable energy field – and to make them available online.

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