Meeting Minutes
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Meeting Minutes are available for the following Education Working Group Meetings: Education Working Group Meeting - WINDPOWER Education Working Group Meeting – Fall Symposium 2009 |
Education Working Group Meeting |
Project Performance & Reliability Workshop
January 12 -13, 2011
San Diego, CA
Meeting minutues will be posted soon.
WINDPOWER 2010
May 25, 2010
Meeting Minutes
Stephen Miner: Introduction
Opened the meeting and welcomed all the attendees to the Education Working Group Meeting at WINDPOWER 2010 in Dallas, Texas. He recapped on activity at the Board of Directors meeting at WINDPOWER that is relevant to the Education Working Group. A new committee, primarily dealing with workforce, training, and education was approved. Since these areas work in close relation to each other, it is important for all to come together to be looped into the same conversation. This committee will keep communications amongst all those directly involved with workforce development. The roll-out of this committee, as well as the Education Working Group’s role in the Committee, will be determined after WINDPOWER.
Education Activities at WINDPOWER 2010:
- NEED Teacher Training Workshop
- Scholarship Golf Open
- House of Blues Wind Energy Foundation Fundraiser
- DOE Sessions on Workforce Development
- KidWind Challenge
- 2nd Annual scholarship 5K
Caitlin Chase: Seal of Approval Program Update
Currently working on:
- Application process- determining what exactly a school needs to submit.
- Evaluation-Skill-Set will be fed into a quantitative assessment model that is currently being developed by an audit specialist. Using a quantitative evaluation system will keep the review process standardized and systematic with very clear results.
- Review Committee Recruitment- Looking for people from industry, research organizations, and Government Agencies to serve on committee.
- Getting this rolled out is a top priority after WINDPOWER.
Stephen Miner: Future Education Endeavors
AWEA is planning to hold a University Summit, similar to what was done for the meeting with technical schools in June 2009. AWEA wants to reach out to 4 year degree institutions to understand what can be done to support their endeavors. Coursework is still a large component that is desired from university based off of the short AWEA University Survey that was sent out to members. It is hard to find a time to do this since schools have very tight schedules during the year, but will be finalizing the plan shortly.
AWEA Connect: Social Networking Site
This is another exciting benefit to offer our members soon to improve connecting with other business members and academic members. Each member will have a profile where their information, bios, pictures can be loaded. The pilot program started a few weeks ago. Caitlin will send info as it becomes available.
Dr. Barry Butler: Update from the Board of Directors
AWEA has recommended that DOE fund and support the following endeavors:
- Increase supply of professionals
- Engineering, science, meteorology, professional management development
- Wildlife biology and planning
- Educate/inform stakeholders
- Wind Powering America and Wind Working Groups
- Increase supply of technical specialists
- Manufacturing
- O & M
- Construction
- Health and safety certification
- High school teacher training and curriculum
- K-8 teacher training and curriculum
- Workforce analysis and needs assessment
Jennifer Askew, Education Working Group Chairperson: Introduces and Recognizes the WINDPOWER 2010 Education Scholarship Winners.
John Inglis: Columbia Gorge Community College
Mark Mullins: Iowa Lakes Community College
Krista Kecskemety: Ohio State University
Mike Gonzales: Texas State Technical College
Futures in Wind: from Preparation to Professional Panel
Moderator: Jennifer Askew (JA), College Recruiter People & Culture, Vestas-American Wind Technology, Inc
Lisa A. Carp (LC), Vice President, Human Resources & Communications, enXco
John Inglis (JI), Technician Student, Columbia Gorge Community College
Brad Weaver (BW), Teacher, KidWind Project
Liz Walls (LW), Director of Meteorological Services, Second Wind Inc.
Introductions:
BW: Involved with KidWind to bring enthusiasm kids have to the wind industry. Need to excite administrators on the subject to strengthen K-12 education.
JI: Currently a wind technician student at Columbia Gorge Community College but already has a degree in engineering. He has a very strong interest in environmental issues and that is why wind power is so attractive to him.
LW: Mechanical Engineering degree and then got Master’s from the Wind Energy Center at University of Massachusetts – Amherst. Graduated in 2007 and is currently working for SecondWind Inc.
LC: VP of Human Resources & Communications at enXco. Involved in hiring of wind technicians to maintain their wind farms.
Break to write questions for panel.
JA: How well has the workforce experience with wind transferred to solar?
LC: Not very well. Projects are built and constructed differently. The solar group is now a different business group. There is still a lot of learning to do in solar energy arena.
JA: What kind of state support did you receive?
LW: UMass group is funded by a state organization (NTC)
JA: Have you found tools to get support from administrators?
BW: The best tools come from outside, like industry, etc.
JA: What is your perception of an ideal technical college program?
LC: Basic knowledge, shorter group program.
JI: Books and hands-on learning. Same is true with teachers. Real learning is having access to the hands on equipment.
LW: Wind Resource Assessment applied the methods in actual application at UMass.
LC: Issues with relocation- wind turbines are out in the “middle of nowhere”. Support the fact that they may need to move around and relocate.
JA: Many professional organizations have student competitions…should AWEA host one?
JI: Something similar to KidWind could be done.
LW: Best poster/paper competition at WINDPOWER to expand on the posters that are already on display.
Audience: at European conference they have a PhD rising star award.
JA: Are there any certifications that enXco is looking for in their technicians?
LC: No specific certifications because they will put technicians through training anyway. It will put you to the top of the hiring process because it shows your interest and ability to learn though.
JA: Speak about pathways in the field/training. How can this be strengthened?
BW: Encouraging students to experience broad opportunities and areas is important in addition to harnessing their enthusiasm.
LC: Expanding industry (even though it’s not new), staying in-touch and up to date with manufacturers. Training with high voltage techs and logistics of buying parts from lots of countries. Job opportunities are broad – environmental piece has grown.
JA: What could people do to get interest for your program?
JC: YouTube.
LW: Website/ Google
JA: What are you looking for with entry level position?
LW: excel, data analysis skills
LC: Installing MET towers, excel spreadsheets, hire and train for a technician’s mechanical and electrical skills, people from automotive industry are usually a good fit for the industry, competent in confined spaces, climbing skills, good common sense, computer skills going forward.
JA: What makes a community college attractive to a future employer?
LC: Programs that have been retted by industry, programs with book and hands-on learning and training, work with both legacy and new machines.
Audience: Does enXco share faulty equipment pieces with community colleges?
LC: Yes, have in the past – also funding, teachers, and lecturers
Audience: It is tough to get industry to donate materials to colleges.
LC: Increasing manufacturing capabilities in the US will be a way to possibly get some equipment to colleges.
JI: Making connections with industry is helpful to land some equipment, having equipment adds to the value of education for students.
Please post additional questions on the social networking site to be answered by the group.
Annie and Caitlin: thank you for coming!
Education Working Group Meeting – Fall Symposium 2009
Palm Springs, CA Nov. 20
Attendees
TPC Presentation Summary
Words from Michelle Montague
Presentation from Department of Labor—Charles Cox
Word from Stephen Miner
Closing Remarks
Attendees:
Tracy Rascoe – Mesalands Community College
Mike Mossier – Airstreams
Jeff Duff – Airstreams
Tom Lieurance – Columbia Gorge Community College
Jonathan Miles – US DOE
Marguerite Kelly – NREL
Amanda Ormond – Interwest
Phil Daugherty – SMI Inc.
Larry Flowers – NREL
Karen Connover – DNV-GEC
Kevin Fleming – California Community Colleges
Danette Estrella – Clipper Windpower
Rosaura R. Velasquez – NaturEner, LLC
Alan Ridley – Cuyamaca College
John Carrese – California Community Colleges
Larry A. Beard – CerroCoso Colleges
Eric White – AWS Truewind
Jerry Nielsen – Oklahoma State University – Oklahoma City
Kimberlee Smithton – High Plains Tech Center – Woodward, OK
Kylah McNabb – Oklahoma Department of Commerce
Mike Pecorasc – College of the Desert
LaVern Phillips – Woodward Oklahoma Economic Development
Michelle Montague – Suzlon
Annie Sznajder – AWEA
John Dunlop – AWEA
Amy Gaddis – AWEA
Stephen Miner – AWEA
** A conference call dial-in option was a made available to working group members that were not able to attend the meeting.
Stephen Miner began the meeting by addressing the group and informing them of the excellent work conducted by individual groups both within and outside of the Education Working Group that have carried us further towards mutual goals.
One specific example mentioned was the Summer Institute hosted last summer by Columbia Gorge Community College, where community colleges, technical schools and member companies gathered to begin identifying skill sets needed for wind turbine technicians.
Annie Sznajder then introduced the Education Working Group to Mike Halpern, TPC Services, an AWEA Consultant working specifically on identifying educational needs within the wind industry. Mike presented his Power Point Presentation, which can be accessed in its entirety here: http://www.awea.org/documents/TPC_EWG_Power
Point_from_Fall_Symposium.pdf
TPC Presentation Summary
Objective:
- Looking at programs currently established, including public and private training institutions
- Skill sets educational institutions are expected to teach future wind turbine technicians to answer the current ad future need of the wind industry
- Courses/topics for modular, one year, and two year programs
- Long term wind energy workforce needs
- Identifying K-12 outreach and opportunities
- Developed surveys directed both at academic institutions and business entities in order to obtain information
Final Goal:
- Identify Academic and Industry Experts -- identify survey questions and industry output.
- Identify survey participants and then go to web-based, phone and various other methods to collect more data.
- Data will be used to create statistics that may spark more questions; will address new issues as they are identified.
- Have been studying current programs offered with desired wish list for techs/industry needs.
- Develop a final report to identify current industry members involved in outreach programs, catalogue business members.
- Once the survey results are in a study will be published and open to the public. AWEA plans to use a GoTo meeting forum to share the information.
The meeting was then opened up to general questions.
Michelle Montague made a request to Business Members:
- Increased involvement and input is needed from Industry/Business Members, especially in regards to completing this survey.
- When we have the survey we need representation from all segments of industry.
- If you have resources of additional people we need to contact we need that contact information.
- The Education Working Group wants a good representation of the individuals from the business community.
Stephen Miner introduces Charles Cox from the Department of Labor (DOL)to give a presentation.
Highlights:
- DOL has already made an investment in establishing programs.
- Community based job funding. Grants have been targeted to community colleges. For example, the Wind for Schools program.
- Workforce31 (free website where you can access and download materials and share information)
- Career information: www.careeronestop.org/competencymodel?
- To create a model around wind look at Build a Model, you can select any previous modes and will bring up customizable options - can add additional information. www.careeronestop.org/competencymodels
Stephen Miner proposed new hiring an Education specialist:
- There is money for consultants but not full time staff capacity. Future goal will be to have someone on staff to assist (not full time) in pushing forward education goals and initiatives.
- Industry may slow down over the next year, but now is the time to push these programs because there is time to develop programs and solidify them.
Annie Sznajder mentioned that the AWEA R&D Committee is seeking funding for Green education. Questions answered on survey are based on the information needed to push funding issues in front of congress.
AWEA Education Working Group Meeting
Jan 18, 2008
Held concurrently with AWEA Wind Asset Management Workshop
San Diego, CA
Education Working Group Meeting
Held concurrently with AWEA Wind Asset Management Workshop
San Diego, CA Jan 18, 2008
Attendees
Opening remarks
Wind Energy Companies Perspective on Educational Programs
EWG Sub-Group Goals
Terry Callahan, Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation
Robert Cole, Power Technology Institute
Richard Whiteside, Power Technology Institute
C.P. (Case) van Dam, UC Davis
Henry Shiu, UC Davis
Mary Spruill, NEED Project
Shaun Melander, Vestas Americas
Mike Messier, Airstreams Training Services
Jeff Duff, Airstreams Training Services
Ray Elledge, Cerritos Community College – CMTC
Ian Baring-Gould, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Tim Sanderson, Minnesota West Community & Tech College
Dan Spatz, Columbia Gorge Community College
Jonathon Miles, US Dept of Energy
Eric White, AWS Truewind
Larry Jacobs, NRG Systems Inc.
Thomas Jonsson, EMS
Chris Walford, Global Energy Concepts
Gordon Randall, Global Energy Concepts
Alden Zeitz, Iowa Lakes Community College
Jack Wallace, Frontier Wind
Joyce & Bruce Papich, GSG Wind
Mike & Lindsey Bednar, GSG Wind
Andrew Kusiak, University of Iowa
Stephen Miner, AWEA
John Dunlop, AWEA
Michelle Montague opened it up to explain the first 15 minutes would be a general review of the Working Group, since there were so many new faces in the room.
Stephen Miner provided background of how group was formed, including being borne out of insufficient K-12 teaching materials that were not representative of what was truly happening in the wind energy industry. Recently AWEA board urged formalization of this group. Michelle Montague added how this group can grow to a committee level and, in time, can have more of a voice with the AWEA board.
John Dunlop of AWEA serves as liaison between Education Working Group and O&M Committee and Safety Sub-committee. He reported on why the need for an O&M Committee and Safety group, as needs are growing exponentially to keep existing plants running. He will keep all groups apprised of opportunities to work together on overlapping issues.
AWEA’s Vision 2030 report shows industry and the political goals to provide 20% of energy from wind by 2030. One major component of this is the supply chain challenges and in particular a skilled labor force. Forecast shows a need for 180,000 workers in this field by 2030, and the current educational infrastructure is not there to meet this demand.
Moved onto wind energy companies providing their perspective on existing in-house training programs and general skills required by current workforce.
Clipper Windpower was unable to be present, so Michelle Montague shared their information on various programs they have established with both technical/community colleges and universities, which includes everything from in-kind support to internships and providing Clipper wind experts to speak at schools.
Terry Callahan of Suzlon discussed their company’s corporate learning center and the Level One technical training program they have established, with plans to quickly expand to Level Two and Three this winter. The focus is on building a more skilled labor in the areas of electronics, electrical and mechanical.
Shaun Melander of Vestas discussed their experience recruiting at university job fairs along side of Intel, Nike and Adidas, and that wind has a real ‘wow’ factor. They are working with local universities for recruiting. They are encouraging degree programs and recruiting early. Vestas as a newer in-house training academy whereby they are taking carpenters, avionics technicians, roughnecks, etc., and training them. They get at least seven days of training before touching at turbine.
Larry Jacobs of NRG saw the need differently. They have a need for people to install towers. They focus on fundamentals of wind power design 101, and provide a good overview of the industry. Locally, they are working with high schools, and doing lots of factory tours. NRG also has a speaking opportunity at University of Vermont, which helps to create interest.
Joyce Papich of GSG Wind discussed the multi-use facility they are building in north-central Illinois proposed to host a technical training facility on 23 acres that is co-located with wind farms featuring various turbine suppliers. Receiving support from a couple of the turbine manufacturers and hopes to provide a 100-room hotel to help with visitors to facility and training programs.
Mary Spruill with the NEED Project talked about their group providing K-12 curriculum in the wind industry for a couple decades. They are providing teacher workshops across the country, including a “sold out” event at WINDPOWER 2007. Will host again at WP08. They have four levels of hands-on kits that review turbine designs, blade designs, tower heights, economics, math, science and more.
Representatives from the Universities group (Case van Dam) and Technical/Community Colleges group (Ray Elledge) reviewed the top three findings or goals from the last meeting, which were used to kick-off discussions for this meeting.
At this time, the meeting broke up into groups. Three groups: 1) Universities, Graduate and PhD programs, 2) Technical and Community Colleges, 3) K-12.
Each breakout group met for about 40 minutes and then presented it goals as such:
K-12 Breakout Group Goals:
Mary Spruill - NEED Project
Ian Baring-Gould – NREL
Stephen Miner & John Dunlop – AWEA
Mike & Lindsey Bednar, GSG Wind
- Better market existing and extensive teaching materials developed by AWEA and NEED
- AWEA to focus on the developers because they have a need to educate, convince, and brief the communities where projects will get developed
- Work within scheduled AWEA events (WINDPOWER)
- Use materials from external organizations such as national science teachers
- Continue to refine and expand current K-12 curriculum
- Develop case studies and examples of pathways (types of jobs) into the industry, using example set by East Coast university
Technical/Community College Breakout Group Goals:
Ray Elledge – Cerritos Community College
John Dunlop - AWEA
Dan Spatz – Columbia Gorge Community College
Shaun McLander – Vestas Americas
Terry Callahan – Suzlon Wind Energy
Jeff Duff – Airstreams Training Services
Joyce & Bruce Papiech – GSG Wind
Jack Wallace - Frontier Wind
Aldin Zeitz – Iowa Lakes Community College
Larry Jacobs - NRG
- Develop the outline of a program to get people into the workforce. This would be an introductory training program, 100 hours in length
- Develop guidelines for a standardized curriculum (for one and two-year degree programs) to head off new colleges developing various disparate programs
- Identify all the technical and community colleges that have some kind of interest or focus in wind energy for collaboration of industry interests.
Universities Breakout Group
C. P. (Case) Van Dam – UC, Davis
Henry Shiu – UC, Davis
Jonathen Miles – US Dept of Energy
Andrew Kusiak – University of Iowa
Jeff Duff – Airstreams training services
Gordon Randall – Global Energy Concepts
Thomas Jonsson - EMS
Chris Walford – Global Energy Concepts
Chris Craig - AWEA
- This group plans to gather, centralize and disseminate information on which universities have wind oriented classes or curriculum. This may be achieved through the development of a consortium database and/or curriculum database.
- Create a Universities Guide – Jonathen Miles to start on this based on current ‘wind for schools’ effort at DOE.
- Build a listing of manufacturers and developers that will support Universities.
- The intent is to open the lines of communication between universities, and organically grow interest in the expansion of wind related programs. This in turn will help populate the industry with skilled professionals and further the accelerated growth of wind energy.
