Training Tomorrow's Renewable Energy Workforce

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http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story;jsessionid=F462E92E28471466FDFCA4707B30F3DF?id=46479

From coast to coast, industry experts are forecasting that 2006 and 2007 will be the "tipping point" for renewable energy in the U.S. But when the market tips -- and demand for renewables in the public sector explodes -- will companies be equipped with enough technicians trained in the art of solar installation and wind turbine maintenance to keep up?

While job opportunities in areas like photovoltaic (PV) are still somewhat limited -- especially outside of states such as California, New York and New Jersey -- interest in the profession at the undergraduate level is growing, according to Jane Weissmann, executive director at Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), the North American Licensee for the ISPQ Standard for Accreditation & Certification of renewable energy training programs.

Across the country an increasing number of universities, community colleges and technical institutes have slowly begun to integrate renewable energy courses into their existing curriculums, said Weissman.

The programs range from associate degree programs at institutions like Lane Community College in Oregon, which offers a two-year applied Renewable Energy Technician Option, to semester-long and online training courses.

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