Community colleges coming together to expand energy workforce nationwide

DELAWARE–Community colleges across the country are coming together to provide faculty professional development and materials for energy teachers.

One of those colleges is Delaware Technical Community College. In partnership with other schools, they will form the CREATE National Energy Center. The goal is to expand the country’s advance energy workforce through supporting community college faculty and energy technology programs.

“Employers are desperate for these workers and there’s really great high paying jobs in there its just getting students in the door and helping connect potential graduates with these jobs that are really good paying jobs,” Jennifer Clemons, Department Chair for Energy Technologies at Delaware Technical Community College, said.

The center will offer a venue for more than 900 national STEM educators to network. Madison Area Technical College in Wisconsin is the lead college on the grant and will work with Delaware Tech and other schools to establish the center. Clemons told us one of their missions is targeting high school teachers across the state.

“Is really working on broadening the workforce, promoting energy technician careers to help diversify the workforce, especially getting more woman into the field, woman and underrepresented minorities are really underrepresented in the energy fields,” Clemons said.

We’re told the colleges will host different events. This whole collaboration is possible thanks to a $7.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation.