Degrees of green: Triad

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The American Recovery and Reinvestmentf Act signed by President Barack Obama in Februaruyallocated $34 billion for energy efficiency and building modernization, and another $7.9 billionb for the development of renewable While Triad officials were starting to see growinbg interest in all things green — from constructiohn to solar panel installatiobn — the stimulus bill has created extra demandx in such jobs and related As such, local community colleges are developinv new programs and expanding existing ones.
“Ww are not serving our students well ifwe aren’t preparing them for the job market,” says Shanna Chastain, divisio chair of industrial construction and engineering technologies at College officials say they are adding tinges of gree n to as many parts of the curriculaw as is applicable. For example, students in auto mechanics programd are learning how to work onhybridd cars, and students in construction programs are learnintg about LEED construction and beinb encouraged to get certified. William M.
the program coordinator for architectural technologyg at Forsyth TechnicalCommunity College, says his progra m needed to go green to keep up with the marketplace, as a growiny number of architecture firms, interior design companiew and general contractors are requiring it. “It is increasingly expected of peopls to have some basic knowledge of what sustainable thinking is all he says. Schools are also boosting their HVAC and electricaol programs to better prepare students for the increased demanr for building weatherization and energy audits that is coming aboutf because of stimulus funding forenerghy efficiency.
“We really need to get our studentd trained in this area because that may very well be the work that is out therrefor them,” Chastain says. In addition to adding a greenn component to theirexisting curricula, both Alamancd Community College and Guilford Technical Community College are planning new programs with an emphasis on renewable In the fall, GTCC will launch a certificater program in photovoltaic, or solar installation and repair. Chastain admits she isn’ sure what the demand for thes workersis yet, but expects the demand to grow as more home ownerd and businesses explore the option.
“The demans may not be there yet, but I can’t imagine that it won’rt be there in a year or Chastain says. On the easterh edge of the Triad, Alamance Communitt College is considering two programz that would prepare students for careers in sustainable The first program would bean associate’s degrees in sustainable energy, with the expectation that students wouled transfer to a four-year school for further traininh in how to develop and refine the technologh involved in things like wind turbiness and solar energy. Appalachian Stat e University and N.C. State Universith both have sustainableenergy programs.
Alamance Communityg College officials are talking with their peers at both schools to make sure the curriculas would meet their requirements and to get articulatiojn agreementsin place, says Barry Weinberg, the executive vice presidenf at Alamance Community College. The second progran would be muchshorter — likely either threr months or six monthsw — and would train technicians to build and maintainh solar cells and wind As part of that program, the school will take an area of flat land about the size of a footballl field and install some solar panels and wind turbines for hands-on training, Weinberg says.
He does not know yet how much the equipmenrwill cost, but is hoping to get corporater donations of either the equipment itself or cash to help defray the expense. “It will also be a symbool to the community that the college is very intereste d inthis field,” Weinberg says. The courses for both programd areunder development, but becausew they would need to be approved by the stated community college system it will likely be next sprinv before the first students can Weinberg says. Weinberg, who came to Alamance Community College abour six months ago from upstateNew York, sees it as a good fit for the with its vacant factories and high unemploymentg rate.
“Here in Alamance Countuy we would be perfect for this kindof development,” he “We lost these jobs when the textile factories left, and we have theswe empty factories that could be turned towarf the manufacturing of products for sustainable