C4 (Community Colleges Confronting the Conundrum): A Job Market Transformation Model for Renewable Energy Technician Training

Kankakee Community College (KCC) in Illinois, in collaboration with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), is developing a renewable energy job market transformation model for community colleges to incorporate into their renewable energy technician programs. The project is simultaneously helping to improve the training of renewable energy technicians while also working with employers to expand the renewable energy job market in the Midwest. The primary project goals are: (a) to improve undergraduate technology education with a focus on training of community college faculty in solar photovoltaic technology and teaching skills, (b) to establish a renewable energy job transformation model for community colleges to incorporate into their existing renewable energy programs, and (c) to enhance the infrastructure and support for renewable energy technician training at community colleges by linking faculty in an online community of practice.

This forward-thinking, three-year project is creating a technician-training model to be replicated at six other community colleges in Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Through faculty professional development and curriculum dissemination and adaptation, this project addresses predicted, increased, regional demand for renewable energy technicians to install, maintain, and repair renewable energy equipment and systems. The project is designed to increase faculty technical knowledge about solar photovoltaics, enhance teaching skills about renewable energy, train local electrical practitioners about solar photovoltaics installation, maintenance and repair, and increase the number of certified solar site assessors to enhance solar installations. The project promotes renewable energy job growth through collaborations with renewable energy businesses, employers, homeowners, and MREA so that students graduating from these community college renewable energy programs will have immediate opportunities for employment.

This integrated renewable energy technician training and job market transformation model is unique in addressing both the demand and supply side components of renewable energy technician training and job growth. The project will produce a replication handbook to guide other community colleges in the Midwest and across the nation in creating or strengthening similar AAS degree and certificate programs and in integrating these programs with regional job market transformation models. The resulting community of practice will further strengthen these efforts by supporting faculty to share effective practices in recruiting, training and supporting the success of students as renewable energy technicians, and by sharing knowledge about effective practices in engaging renewable energy employers as partners in the creation of additional renewable energy jobs.