By Judith Mouton, Renewable Energy Education Manager, Johnson Controls

If you’re like me, this time of year always makes you think about your college years. June was when nine months of taking notes, studying, writing papers and cramming for tests were finally over and we could think about anything other than the periodic table, the fall of the Ottoman Empire or how to conjugate Spanish verbs.

At colleges and universities across the country, that’s exactly what millions of students are doing right now – shifting their focus from the classroom to summer jobs, family get-togethers, maybe even vacations.

But here at Johnson Controls, the college campuses where those kids go to school remain at the center of my attention whether it’s spring, summer, winter or fall. My job title is Renewable Energy Education Manager. It’s a reflection of Johnson Controls’ commitment to helping create the green collar work force of the future. And it’s a reflection of our understanding that doing so is absolutely essential to our success as a company and as a nation.

If we’re going to restart our economy, achieve energy independence and protect our environment through energy efficiency and renewable energy, we’re going to need a bunch of new engineers, installers, technicians, salespeople and others to make that happen. Colleges and universities are gearing up to train and educate students to tackle those tasks, and we’re pleased to be one of the leading companies sharing our knowledge and expertise to help them get the job done. For a couple years now, we’ve been working with colleges and universities to offer four-year degrees and technical programs in renewable energy. Here are some examples:

• We worked with the University of Wisconsin to develop the curriculum for the nation’s first bachelor of sciences degree in sustainable management. The degree program will be offered – beginning this fall – at four UW system campuses (Parkside, River Falls, Stout and Superior), with much of the class work delivered online. The program is geared towards non-traditional students – adults who may already have a degree and are already in the workforce, but want to update their skills and take advantage of the boom in the green job market. Graduates will gain necessary knowledge in topics such as carbon trading, logistics, supply chain, renewable energy policy and economics.
• We’re also working with the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and Milwaukee Area Technical College to develop curriculum for courses to train workers for jobs in the wind industry. Called the Wind Energy Educational Collaborative, the program is one of just 53 initiatives nationwide to receive funding from the federal government to help achieve the goal of generating 25% of electricity used nationwide from wind by 2030. Courses at MATC will offer students a certificate for installing, operating and maintaining wind systems. The UWM curriculum will prepare engineering students and laid-off engineers to analyze wind patterns, research wind power and its effects on the electrical grid, as well as engineer and design wind systems.
• We previously helped Mid State Technical College – serving Central Wisconsin – develop the curriculum for an Associate in Applied Science Degree in one of three areas of renewable energy:
  
  
• Renewable Electricity Technician – performs site assessments, sells, installs and maintain solar photovoltaic systems
• Renewable Energy Specialist – helps engineer, design, sell and install renewable energy systems
• Renewable Thermal Energy Technician – performs site assessments, sells, installs or services solar thermal or geothermal renewable energy systems
  
  
• Finally, we’re working with a number of colleges and universities to offer workshops and seminars to educate the general public about renewable energy and emerging career opportunities in the industry

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