Participating Institutions

Massachusetts

Bristol Community College’s National Offshore Wind Institute (NOWI) is a one-stop shop for energy-related health and safety and maritime trainings. The NOWI offers a diverse training portfolio including Global Wind Organisation such as Basic Safety Training, Basic Technical Training, Advanced Technical Training, and Enhanced First Aid as well as Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET). The NOWI supports its training programs with unique and specialized infrastructure including a customized working at heights tower and a deep-water training tank. Bristol hosts related associate degree and certificate programs such as the Power Technician and Supply Chain programs.

Virginia

Tidewater Community College provides training in programable logic control, renewable energy technologies, fiber and data cabling, and occupational safety.  TCC partners with the Department of Energy in Solar Ready Vets, preparing veterans for careers as solar photovoltaic system installers, sales representatives, system inspectors, and other solar-related occupations. TCC also is designated a United States Naval Community College training partner.

Mississippi

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) programs include Electrical, Electric Lineworker, Apprentice Electric Lineman, Process Operations, and Instrumentation & Controls.  Available courses include Basic Electricity, National Electric Code and Safety Code, and RUS Specifications (Overhead and Underground), Emerging Energy Technologies, and Industrial Controls. MGCCC partners with Mississippi Power and AccelerateMS to offer non-credit Electric Lineworker workforce training at no cost to students.  MGCCC partners with a variety of partners in the energy sector, such as Chevron Pascagoula (largest Chevron refinery in the U.S.) and Southern Company (the largest electric wholesale provider in the Southeast).  In December 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy designated MGCCC as one of 17 Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) in the United States for expanding training opportunities for in-demand, high-quality jobs.   

Texas

San Jacinto College, a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, is the training leader for the energy workforce in the Houston area. Its 145,000 square foot LyondellBasell Center for Petrochemical, Energy, & Technology (CPET) is a training hub for the largest petrochemical manufacturing complex in the United States.  The Center hosts multiple global events for industry partners who also helped develop curriculum that allows students to walk out of the classroom and onto the jobsite fully trained to begin work. The college also hosts the EnergyVenture Camp, a youth summer camp focused on energy industry careers.

Colorado

Jobs in clean energy are among the fastest growing in Colorado, and the sector has received additional attention with the state’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 100% by 2050. As Colorado’s largest provider of education and workforce training, the Colorado Community College System (CCCS) – comprised of 13 colleges with over 35 locations and more than half designated as Hispanic-Serving Institutions – is committed to fostering the next generation of professionals who will power the state’s transition to renewable energy and sustainable communities. Thanks to state and philanthropic funding, CCCS is investing $4.5 million to develop clean energy training pathways, including “micro-credentials” programs in solar installation and energy maintenance. These programs can be completed in weeks and stack into certificates and associate degrees, allowing for additional upskilling. Pueblo Community College and Northeastern Junior College have long offered programs in wind and solar energy maintenance, and colleges like Arapahoe Community College and Community College of Aurora are rolling out more offerings in hybrid and electrical vehicle maintenance, sustainable construction, and weatherization in partnership with fellow state agencies. Community College of Denver is funded by the Denver Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency to provide access to quality green jobs with livable wages and benefits from employers, and their Auraria Campus, where Metropolitan State University of Denver and the University of Colorado Denver are co-located, has the largest rooftop solar array in downtown Denver.

New Mexico

San Juan College, a federally designated Native American-Serving, Nontribal Institution, operates a School of Energy that is known for its just-in-time, fit-for-purpose training of workforce tailored to industry needs.  Named New Mexico’s Center of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Sustainability by Governor Lujan-Grisham, the School of Energy is uniquely positioned to address the needs of the evolving energy industry.  Its 10 degree and academic certificate programs, in conjunction with its robust non-credit industry credential training, attract industry partners from a wide variety of energy and energy related industries to partner with the School.  Receiving a Congressional appropriation to develop an advanced certificate for Clean Hydrogen Technicians, the School will leverage its current programs, augment its carbon capture curriculum, and integrate hydrogen safety into all of its programs.  Building upon multiple programs in the School of Energy, other areas being pursued include an expanded emphasis on water, carbon sequestration, critical minerals and rare earth elements and as technology progresses, perhaps geothermal.  With its unique Tribal Energy Management Studies program, the School of Energy will continue to integrate new developments in the energy landscape into its efforts to ensure that underserved communities are equipped for the future.  San Juan College was involved in the I-West, Phase I, project and is actively collaborating with the Four Corners Rapid Response Team, a White House initiative in coordination with the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization.

Iowa

Des Moines Area Community College hosts a Renewable Energy Technology program, qualifying for the Iowa Last Dollar Scholarship for in-demand fields.  The college’s Energy Park includes a 100-kilowatt wind turbine, three 25-ft. two-axis tracking solar arrays, and a 2.3-megawatt nacelle. DMACC partners with MidAmerican Energy Company in utilizing a 143,000 square foot training facility, including a 50-foot clearance in the indoor Pole Training Arena. DMACC recently completed a $1 million dollar project funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation to train 26 women from Kosovo in energy fields. They graduated with an average 3.8 GPA and are back in Kosovo working or advancing their education.  The Iowa Municipal Utility Association (IAMU) represents more than 754 municipal broadband, electric, gas, and water utilities statewide. IAMU allows DMACC to use their facilities, share equipment, and access their outdoor climbing yard. 

Nebraska

Northeast Community College’s (Northeast) integrative programs provide a wide variety of unique learning opportunities for student interested in energy. Drawing on rich resources in science, technology, and industry, Northeast offers multiple educational pathways in the energy field. From energy generation training in our Wind Energy program, to energy distribution training in our Utility Line program Northeast students are gaining the skills and experience needed to enter exciting careers in rapidly growing fields. Furthermore, Northeast offers degrees in Electrical Construction and Control, Electromechanical Technology, and Heating Ventilation, and Air Conditions where students learn the basics from electrical installation to repair and maintenance of electrical systems in a highly hands-on environment. Collaboration with industry through our Job Training and Safety program and other workforce training initiatives and partnerships ensures a continuous cycle of learning and job upskilling opportunities for our labor force.

California

Kern Community College District, a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, has established the California Renewable Energy Laboratory (CREL).  CREL is developing a comprehensive cluster of Centers of Excellence focused on Carbon Management, Clean Energy and Grid Resilience, and Clean Transportation. The Kern Community College District (KernCCD) and Bakersfield College (BC) have an 11-year history of bringing energy education to the region, working with a wide array of over 40 partners including national laboratories like the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), educational partners, government organizations, community-based organizations, employers, workers, and environmental justice groups.  In December 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy designated Kern Community College District as one of 17 Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) in the United States for expanding training opportunities for in-demand, high-quality jobs. 

The Center for Climate Futures is an initiative of the Foundation for California Community Colleges and the California Community Colleges’ Chancellor’s Office.  CCF is elevating climate action at California’s 116 community colleges, driving economic development, preparing students for rewarding careers, strengthening communities, and advancing the state of California’s ambitions climate related initiatives.

Washington

Clark College is developing a Center for Clean Energy, advancing Automotive Technology, Diesel Technology, Mechatronics, Advanced Manufacturing, Environmental Science, Engineering, Chemistry, and Computer Science. The Automotive Technology program trains technicians to repair and maintain a variety of electric vehicles. Clark’s Diesel Technology program aims to meet the need for electric vehicles powered by hydrogen, producing zero emissions.