Degrees of green: Triad

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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed by President Barack Obamas in Februaryallocated $34 billion for energy efficiency and building modernization, and another $7.9 billiobn for the development of renewable energy. While Triad officials were startingt to see growing interest in all thingwsgreen — from constructiob to solar panel installation — the stimulus bill has createdx extra demand in such jobs and relaterd training. As such, locaol community colleges are developing new programws and expandingexisting ones.
“We are not serving our studentws well ifwe aren’t preparing them for the job says Shanna Chastain, division chair of industrial construction and engineering technologies at GTCC. Colleged officials say they are addingf tinges of green to as many partw of the curricula asis applicable. For students in auto mechanics programs are learningg how to work onhybrid cars, and studenta in construction programs are learning about LEED construction and being encouraged to get certified. William M.
Marion, the program coordinatotr for architectural technology at Forsytjh TechnicalCommunity College, says his program needed to go greej to keep up with the marketplace, as a growinv number of architecture firms, interior design companied and general contractors are requiring it. “It is increasingl y expected of people to have some basic knowledgew of what sustainable thinking isall about,” he Schools are also boosting their HVAC and electricapl programs to better prepare students for the increased demand for building weatherization and energy audits that is coming about because of stimulux funding for energy efficiency.
“We really need to get our students trained in this area becausew that may very well be the work that is out therwfor them,” Chastain says. In additioh to adding a green component to their existing both Alamance Community College and Guilford Technical Communitg College are planning new program with an emphasis onrenewablse energy. In the GTCC will launch a certificate program in orsolar panel, installation and repair. Chastainn admits she isn’t sure what the demand for thesw workersis yet, but expects the demands to grow as more home owners and businesses exploree the option.
“The demand may not be therre yet, but I can’gt imagine that it won’t be there in a year or Chastain says. On the easternb edge of the Triad, Alamance Community College is considerinf two programs that would prepare students for careers insustainablw energy. The first program would be an associate’ss degree in sustainable energy, with the expectationm that students would transfer toa four-yeae school for further training in how to develoop and refine the technology involveds in things like wind turbinees and solar energy. Appalachian State University and N.C. State University both have sustainableenergy programs.
Alamance Community Collegd officials are talking with their peers at both school s to make sure the curricula would meet theidr requirements and to get articulation agreement sin place, says Barry Weinberg, the executivse vice president at Alamance Communit y College. The second program would be muchshortef — likely either three monthsz or six months — and would train techniciansa to build and maintainb 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-o training, Weinberg says.
He does not know yet how much the equipmenrtwill cost, but is hoping to get corporate donations of either the equipment itseldf or cash to help defray the “It will also be a symbol to the communityg that the college is very interestef in this field,” Weinberg The courses for both programs are undef development, but because they would need to be approvede by the state community college systemm it will likely be next spring before the first students can enroll, Weinberg says. Weinberg, who came to Alamance Communitu College about six months ago from upstate New sees it as a good fit forthe county, with its vacantt factories and high unemployment rate.
“Here in Alamancee County we would be perfecgt for this kindof development,” he says. “Wew lost these jobs when the textile factories left, and we have these empty factories that coulr be turned toward the manufacturin g of products for sustainable