POWER March 2011 - 83

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
outcomes would indicate the knowledge,
skills, and abilities needed for entry- and
mid-level wind turbine technicians.
College faculty and administrators from
across the nation who had developed wind
turbine technician training programs, were
developing such a program, or were interested
in exploring this type of program were
invited to attend. Additionally, industry partners
were invited to work with the college
staff and faculty. A core set of outcomes was
developed at the institute. Those outcomes
were used by AWEA to establish its recently
released seal of approval.
Job Corps: Getting the Job Done
Established in 1964, Job Corps is the nation's
oldest and largest federally funded
job-training and educational program for
economically disadvantaged youth ages
16 through 24. Administered by the U.S.
Department of Labor, Employment, and
Training Administration, Job Corps has a
central recruitment website with information
about programs, locations, brochures,
and more: http://recruiting.jobcorps.gov/
en/home.aspx. As a primarily residential
training program, Job Corps currently
operates 124 centers nationwide, serving
more than 60,000 youth annually. Job
Corps has established partnerships with
national, regional, and local employers;
industry and trade organizations; and registered
apprenticeship programs.
Job Corps offers a range of advanced
training programs that support the electric
power industry:
■ Smart Meter Technician (Gary, Texas and
Oneonta, N.Y.)
■ Overhead Line Construction (San Marcos,
Texas and Oneonta, N.Y.)
■ Underground Residential Distribution
Technician (Oneonta, N.Y.)
■ Solar Photovoltaic and Thermal System
Installer/Residential (Gainesville, Fla. and
San Francisco, Calif.)
The Job Corps Smart Meter Technician,
Overhead Line Construction, and Underground
Residential Distribution Technician
advanced training programs prepare students
for employment in an industry with a growing
need for new workers to handle the maintenance,
expansion, and upgrading of the
nation's electric grid. Students are introduced
to the fundamentals of smart grid technologies
as they relate to each trade.
" The goal is to equip this generation of
workers with the knowledge and skills required
to aid the utility industry in implementing
more energy-efficient strategies
and enabling renewable energies, " Tracy
Bradshaw-Morris, a Job Corps representative,
told POWER. " In these advanced
training opportunities, students bring a
foundation of electrical skills from either
electrical or facility maintenance training
programs. The programs were developed
with the help, support, and partnership of
utility companies and educators and follow
industry standards closely and thoroughly
with credentials offered through partners
like National Grid. "
On the residential side, Job Corps offers
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) and Thermal System
Installer advanced training to prepare workers
to contribute to a diversified energy production
portfolio. Students are trained to install
and maintain solar PV and thermal systems,
including grid-connected and stand-alone
systems in various configurations. Students
are also prepared to earn the North American
Board of Certified Energy Practitioners PV
Entry Level Certificate. ■
-Angela Neville, JD is POWER's senior
editor.
New
Release!
UDI World Electric Power Plants Database -
The Original Global Reference
Find cogen power plants in India, list new coal-ired projects in Europe,
track hydroelectric projects in Brazil, and more ...
The Platts UDI World Electric Power Plants Database (WEPP) is an inventory of over 160,000
generating units including more than 70,000 plants of all sizes and technologies in more
than 225 countries. Operators include regulated utilities, private power companies, and
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This unique database is the largest global power plant information resource available and has
been published in its current format since 1990.
To purchase the UDI World Electric Power Plants Database, visit www.WEPP.Platts.com
or call your nearest Platts oice.
North America
EMEA
+1-800-PLATTS8 (toll-free)
+1-212-904-3070 (direct)
March 2011 | POWER
+44-(0)20-7176-6111
Latin America
+54-11-4804-1890
Asia-Paciic
+65-6530-6430
www.powermag.com
83
For more information
about Platts UDI
databases and
directories, visit
www.udidata.com.

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POWER March 2011

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