Sustainability Training for Technical Educators (STTE)

Development which minimizes the impact on natural resources is critical to the economic future of Oregon and Southwest Washington. The region now finds itself at a critical crossroads facing challenges of managing population growth in a way that preserves the environment and maintains the beauty and high quality of life that is central to that of the Pacific Northwest values and economy. Technical workers are needed for the growing workforce in sustainability which encompasses alternative energy technicians, landscape and natural resource managers, building design, construction and manufacturing technicians to meet the regions demands of a sustainability workforce. Portland Community College and many partner institutions and businesses have developed a Sustainability Training for Technical Educators project. The project helps ensure that the participating educators understand how sustainability relates to their STEM fields and how to integrate the science of sustainability through issues, case studies and green alternatives in their course laboratories and practices. Industry standards and workplace competencies relating to sustainability are taught across the curriculum in courses within the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines. The three main focus area for the project center around; 1) A Summer Sustainability Institute for high school and college level faculty; 2) An industry internship program for faculty and; 3) The development of a community of faculty, industry and business representatives working together to move the region Green.