Green Economy Workforce Development Practices to EnsureSkilled STEM Workers October 2011

1. Green Economy Workforce Development Practices to EnsureSkilled STEM Workers October 2011 ecoAmerica start with people

2. SEED: Brought to you by AACC A coordinated national strategy to support community colleges in building a green and sustainable economy Supported by the Kresge Foundation

3. Speakers • Jerry Weber, Ph.D , President, College of Lake County (IL) and Chair, AACC Sustainability Task Force • Shelly Jewell, Director of Grant Initiatives , Connecticut Community College System • Cheryl Putnam, Project Coordinator, CTSTEM Jobs Partnership • Todd Cohen, Program Director, AACC

4. AACC Sustainability Taskforce • 40+ presidents from across the U.S. committed to supporting sustainability and SEED • Mission: To position community colleges as leaders in the national sustainability movement by promoting promising models and advocating for their role in building the green economy

5. Why Invest in the Green Economy and Why Colleges • Brookings: since 2003, newer green businesses (wind energy, solar PV, smart grid) added jobs at a “torrid pace” • Median wages in the clean economy are 13 % higher than median U.S. wages • Community colleges -- an essential vehicle by providing green education and promoting sustainability to a new generation of leaders

6. SEED Is… • A leadership initiative: 430+ college presidents and campuses as members • A resource center: 450+ resources to inform faculty, deans, staff • A sharing community:online and through peer-to-peer workshops

7. Case Studies and Toolkits

8. Curricular Materials and Workshops

9. STEM and Green • No question that green economy is reliant upon workers who are adept at STEM • Community colleges are vital in part because sustainability/green becoming more a central part of what colleges are doing • We’ll continue to support PKAL, U.S. Dept of Ed, and other efforts

10. SEED: What’s Coming • New Toolkit: Engaging Trustees in Campus Sustainability Efforts • Next webinars: Rural-based Green Jobs: What’s the Community College Role? (early Nov); Cutting Edge Hybrid Vehicle Training (Nov 30) • Peer-to-peer Workshop: at AACC’s Workforce Development Institute (Jan 25 2011) • Keep up to date at www.theseedcenter.org • (sign up for the newsletter)

11. Green Economy Workforce Practices to Ensure Skilled STEM Workers STEM Tech Conference Indianapolis, IN October 2, 2011 Connecticut Community Colleges

12. Linking STEM with Green Workforce Education and Careers CTSTEMJOBS and SOAR initiatives began in early 2009 • Proposals developed by same key partners with intention to align and leverage grant resources & programs • Initiatives designed to address skills, competencies, credentials to meet employer needs • SOAR was the first major effort in the CCCS to develop STEM-based credit certificatesin sustainability and green workforce education • Coach/advisor/coordinator roles were refined from prior CBJTGs in healthcare and manufacturing • Initiatives address workforce readiness in addition to foundational and technical education based upon industry recommendations

13. Sustainable Operations: Alternative & Renewable Energy Initiative (SOAR) Solar Technology Program

14. Sustainable Operations Alternative and Renewable Energy Initiative (SOAR) • The SOAR Energy Initiative has created programs to teach students how to go green. • SOAR certificate programs can: • lead to a new career • reinvigorate an existing career, and • prepare students to pursue a higher degree.

15. SOAR SOAR can teach students how to: • create and maintain energy-efficient, healthy buildings • apply sustainable landscape ecology skills • work with solar equipment and systems • maintain alternative–fuel vehicles • provide service for a clean water treatment plant • conduct home energy audits, and more!

16. The SOAR Initiative • Funded by a $2 million USDOL Community-Based Job Training Grant andrun by the Connecticut Community College System. • SOAR programs are • for-credit • college-level • certificate programs • Include foundational & technical courses.

17. SOAR & STEM Partners • CT Business & Industry Association • CT Center for Advanced Technology • Clean Energy Finance & Investment Authority • CT Dept. of Labor • CT Technical High Schools • CT Women’s Education and Legal Fund • Dept. of Economic Development • Dept. of Higher Ed. • Adult Education • Department of Energy & Environmental Protection • Interstate Renewable Energy Council • Institute for Sustainable Energy (ESCU) • CT Energy Workforce Consortium • CT State Dept. of Educ. • Workforce Investment Boards • Office for Workforce Competitiveness • And many more

18. SOAR Regional Coordinators • Regional Coordinators help students succeed: • provide prospective students with program information • meet with students when they begin and stay in touch throughout the program • assist with problems that might keep students from succeeding • help students find internships during the program and job opportunities as they near program completion.

19. SOAR Certificate Programs

20. SOAR Certificate Programs • Building Efficiency & Sustainable Technologies(BEST) Certificate • Prepares students for new “green collar” jobs in building efficiency, sustainable building and renewable energies. • Emphasis on building science, analyzing and retrofitting of existing homes and buildings, health and safety for building occupants, building new sustainable structures, and the use of alternative &renewable energy sources. • Students conduct hands-on home energy audits. • Helps prepare students for the BPI Building Analyst and the RESNET HERS Rater Certifications, nationally-recognized accreditations.

21. SOAR Certificate Programs • Certificate in Sustainable Energy • An overview of emerging theory & practical application in alternative energy systems. • Preparing students to work in or start a business in sustainable energy & energy auditing fields, the program reviews major energy sources, including wind, solar, hydroelectric, bio-fuels and fossil fuels. Electrical, heating, and cooling systems are also covered. • Students learn the skills necessary to evaluate the energy performance of buildings & to recommend energy-efficiency strategies. • With a foundation of mathematics and engineering, this program also explores current trends in the field and offers either an entrepreneurship or financial focus.

22. SOAR Certificate Programs • Alternative Energy Systems Technology Certificate • Students prepare for a broad range of careers in the renewable energy, energy efficiency, and utility sectors. • With a foundation of courses in engineering technology and manufacturing, the program equips students with the technical hands-on skills demanded by employers. • Courses, labs, guest speakers, site tours and job shadow opportunities allow students to work with sustainable energy technologies, including fuel cells, solar panels, solar hot-water heaters, geothermal systems, alternative fuel vehicles, and facilities designed with “green” in mind. • Flexibility within the program allows students to explore additional courses in green technology, computer-aided design, manufacturing or engineering.

23. SOAR Certificate Programs • Alternative Energy Transportation Technology Certificate • Students are taught entry-level mechanical skills required to fill technical jobs in alternative-energy transportation operations. • With hands-on learning in a laboratory environment, students work with tools, equipment and materials commonly used to operate, maintain, repair and analyze alternative-fuel vehicle systems, including electric and hybrid drives and gaseous and liquid fuels (Compressed Natural Gas/Liquefied Natural Gas/Bio-fuel). • An internship component is included.

24. SOAR Certificate Programs • Solar Technology Certificate • Teaches operational skills and imparts a basic understanding of photovoltaic, solar thermal, and passive solar equipment used as energy sources for residential and commercial buildings, the roles government and non-government agencies play in the field, and the importance of safety. • Course work in electricity and electronics is included. Students will be prepared for entry-level positions in companies that manufacture, install and/or maintain solar technology systems. • Successful graduates are eligible to take the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) entry-level exam.

25. SOAR Certificate Programs • Clean Water Management Certificate • Classroom- and laboratory-based academic preparation is taught for the Class I, II, III, and IV Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Certification Examinations administered by the CT DEP. • Students learn the skill and knowledge specifications required by higher-level operators at the more than 100 public and private water-pollution control facilities in CT. • Courses are taught on campus & at municipal wastewater treatment facilities around the state. • The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment growth in this field due to a large number of upcoming retirements.

26. SOAR Certificate Programs • Sustainable Landscape Ecology & Conservation Technician Certificate • This program teaches entry-level skills needed by students to fill technician jobs in the areas of sustainable landscape design, planning, and conservation. • Employment opportunities for graduates include town planning agencies, inland wetland enforcement offices, planning and zoning offices, specialized landscape installation and maintenance firms, green-roof installers, and private, state and federal environmental protection agencies.

27. SOAR Certificate Programs • Sustainable Facilities Management Certificate • Students develop entry-level skills needed to fill technician jobs in the areas of sustainable design and planning, and sustainable facilities operations. • Trains new and existing construction workers with new skill sets in sustainable environment areas, as defined by the U.S. Green Building Council and the BPI so that students may find employment as Sustainable Facilities Management technicians. • Provides a foundation in the concepts of LEED certification of buildings and knowledge of its governing body, the U.S. Green Building Council, as well as the Building Performance Institute.

28. Curriculum Development • Participating colleges had related STEM degree programs and expertise • Colleges received funding for faculty to develop two to four new courses for each certificate program • Colleges utilized local advisory boards • Project Advisory Committee, Connecticut Energy Workforce Development Consortium and Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology targeted industry groups provide additional feedback and recommendations • Programs are modified as necessary to be responsive to industry needs

29. Internships • Funding from the Tremaine Foundation to the CT Clean Energy Fund, working in partnership with the CT Department of Environmental Protection & SOAR to provide paid student internships • 12 student interns worked with municipalities projects related to climate mitigation and adaptation • Students received invaluable hands-on experience and towns received human capital to work on important issues that required focus and attention

30. Internships Examples of student internships: • An intern worked on various solar initiatives, including attendance at board of selectmen meetings, working in town hall and with the director of town facilities. • A student researched the cost of installing charging stations for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to determine which ones would be most cost-effective. • A student developed mapping capacity to anticipate sea level rise and storm surge impacts. • An intern worked with the town’s Chief Building Inspector to prepare a cost-benefit analysis for various sustainable alternatives for roofing, HVAC and finishes for the proposed renovation of a train station, including a solar-powered electric car-charging installation.

31. CT STEM Jobs Partnership Overview • Goal: prepare students and jobseekers for STEM careers in Connecticut • Funded by a $2 million USDOL Community-Based Job Training Grant • Coordinated by the five CT Workforce Development Boards • Target Populations include: - Disadvantaged Youth (18-24) - Dislocated Workers - Low-Wage Incumbent Workers

32. CT STEM Jobs • STEM Coaches located at workforce boards • Career advising includes: • Interest and aptitude assessment • Career “blueprints” • Career exploration • Virtual STEM portal • Free, on-line resources for jobseekers, students, educators, employers

33. CT STEM jobs • Interactive online pathway tool including STEM program curricula & sample career descriptions • STEM mentors recruited from industry & education

34. Statewide Virtual STEM Portal:ctstemjobs.org

35. STEM Career Pathways Tool STEM Program Curricula 12 Connecticut Community Colleges 4 State Universities

36. STEM Career Pathways Tool Sample Career descriptions: tools/technology, tasks, skills/knowledge, current job openings, wage information, related occupations CT Dept. of Labor US Dept. of Labor

37. Aligning STEM & SOAR • All SOAR programs are STEM • STEM Coordinator also works on the SOAR Initiative • STEM/SOAR Expositions • Investigation in STEM Careers course- includes focus on green and sustainability careers

38. STEM/SOAR Expos College of Technology: “Lean and Green” Fuel Cell technology Sustainable Product design Green Building/ Solar Energy Geothermal technology Sustainable Living Lean Manufacturing Girls in STEM: G2O (Generating Girls Opportunities): Natural Resource Conservation Electrical and Building Engineering Design Climate Change Robotics Solar Cars

39. Girls in STEM Partnership with CWEALF to provide tech expos included the following workshops: • Living in Outer Space • It’s So Easy Being Green • El Nino—An Example of the Ocean’s Impact on Weather • Save Energy, Save the Planet • Ruler of the Solar System • Mysterious Case of the Suffering Lake

40. Investigation in STEM Careers—new course! General course objectives include the following: • explore the scope of a STEM career and education • provide experiential learning in the scientific discovery process, quantitative analysis, and engineering design • increase scientific literacy • explore emerging careers and contemporary issues in STEM

41. Investigation in STEM Careers GREEN labs include: • Environmental Monitoring and Assessment • Land Cover and Water Quality GREEN Career profiles include: • Environmental engineer • Water resource technician • Green building entrepreneur • Alternative fuel vehicle technician

42. CT Workforce Investment System Partnership Why Partnership Works • Commitment & roles for partners agreed upon prior to grant proposal submission. • Increased innovation, greater efficiency and more effective results with use of combined resources • Enhanced support from diverse groups statewide • Successful models developed, refined & replicated in subsequent projects • Greater opportunities for sustainability

43. CT Workforce Investment System Partnerships • Five CBJTGs enhanced existing partnerships between CCCS and the CT WIBs • WIB representatives serve on grant advisory boards • WIBs display marketing materials for CCCS programs • ITA commitments • Pell grant commitments • Co-Presentations from Advisors at the One-Stop Career Centers

44. CT Workforce Investment System Partnerships Coordinators and Coaches • attend WIB partnership meetings • provide training to One-Stop staff in the different career areas • reach out to employers to understand current trends in employment and hiring practices • work with clients/students using Key Train and Metrix for assessment and remediation at One-Stops and colleges • work at the One-Stops

45. Energy & Green Technology DVD created by CBIA • Overview of energy and green technology • How to prepare for energy careers • Teacher’s Guide • Vignettes of young workers include: • Fuel Cell Technician, Environmental Engineer, Energy Specialist, Applications Engineer http://www.cbia.com/edf/CareerPathways.htm

46. Employer Engagement Groups and Surveys • Employers reviewed curricula and provided feedback to meet industry needs • Employer groups reviewed energy efficiency, solar and alternative technology programs • Employers agreed to provide guest speakers, assist with plant tours, job shadows and internships

47. Positive outcomes • Workforce Board Individual Training Account funds for noncredit and credit STEM and SOAR programs • STEM Mentors increased accessibility to municipality and industry internships • STEM Career Pathways tool increased advising capacity of counselors to refer students to local STEM and GREEN academic programs and career opportunities • Industry partnerships increased community awareness of local career opportunities

48. Challenges • Student academic readiness for STEM and green education and careers • Sustainability—funding for advisors & educational support services • Limited resources for ITAs at WIBs after ARRA $ • Limited space at WIBs and One-Stops to conduct workshops, testing, etc. • Economy—limited jobs post-training and delay in anticipated green jobs

49. Questions? Contact: Shelly Jewell Director of Grant Initiatives and Special Projects Connecticut Community Colleges 860-244-7746 rjewell@commnet.edu Cheryl Ordway Putnam STEM Project Coordinator Connecticut Community Colleges 860-244-7797 cputnam@commnet.edu Thank you!