The document summarizes media coverage of Ecotech Institute from April 2010 to June 2010. There were numerous newspaper articles from local publications like The Aurora Sentinel announcing the opening of Ecotech Institute, a new school focused on renewable energy careers. The articles discussed Ecotech Institute's programs and goals of training students for in-demand green jobs. Experts were quoted saying the wind energy sector is expected to grow significantly and will require skilled technicians, creating many job opportunities for graduates of Ecotech Institute.

1. Ecotech Institute
Media Presence
2010

2. April
21,
2010
New
Aurora
school
to
focus
on
‘green’
careers
|
Greg
Nieto
Bentley.

3. April
21,
2010
|
Sharon
Knight
April
21,
2010

4. April
21,
2010
Melissa
Hincha-­‐
Ownby

5. April
21,
2010
April
22,
2010

6. April
22,
2010
he
said.
electrical
technicians
to
green
design.

7. April
22,
2010
|
David
A.
Hill

9. The
Aurora
Sentinel
April
22,
2010
(Additional
stories
ran
April
29,
May
6,
May
13,
June,
17,
2010)
Ecotech
Institute
Circulation:
4,000
Copies on le

10. Ecotech Institute Launch Coverage
April 22-23, 2010

11. April
23,
2010
April
23,
2010

13. April
26,
2010
Erik
Keith
AP

14.
Answering
Industry
Demands
for
Skilled
Workers

16. April
27,
2010
Bill
Opalka
of
technical
careers.

17. Heather
Clancy

18. to
Follow

20. technology.

21. June
28,
2010
|

23. David
O.
Williams

24. -­‐

27. Eric
Wilson

32. June
1,
2010
|
Mike
Cote
-­‐

33. June
2,
2010
#3
DENVER-­‐-­‐

35. June
11,
2010

36. June
10,
2010
-­‐

37. June
10,
2010
June
10,
2010

38. June
20,
2010

40. June
20,
2010
technology.

41. June
28,
2010
Joey
Kirchmer
-­‐
she
said.

42. -­‐

43. Crystal
Thomas

44. Ecotech
Institute

46. Put twice the wind in your sails:
2010 HUSUM WindEnergy 2011 Wind

49. Carolina.

50. Carol
Tice

52. TRACKING RENEWABLE TALENT
From green power brokers, attorneys, and
financial experts to wind turbine technicians,
the demand for wind-specific expertise will
only grow in the coming years.
By Alison Wise
Alison Wise is director of career services at the Ecotech Institute.
Go online to www.ecotechinstitute.com.
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, the wind en- cil of Economic Advisers found that the clean
ergy sector is primed for tremendous growth. energy investments of the American Recovery
More states have set renewable portfolio stan- and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) are not only cre-
dards, and with the oil spill disaster in the Gulf ating jobs today, but for the future. The clean
of Mexico the federal government is poised to energy provisions of ARRA alone have already
pass meaningful energy legislation that could saved or created 63,000 jobs and are expected
include a tax on carbon dioxide emissions. to create more than 700,000 by 2012.
The move to a new energy economy offers a Clean energy jobs, according to the ARRA,
lot of positive outcomes such as lessened de- are defined as new work for skilled laborers who
pendence on the grid, more sustainable busi- can install efficient heating and cooling systems
ness activities, and a host of new jobs. To meet and windows, retrofit homes to save electric-
these opportunities America’s workforce, like ity, and can build and install solar panels, wind
its energy economy, will need to be retooled to turbines, and other clean energy technologies.
meet the growing demand for skilled labor in These investments are positioning the Ameri-
wind and other energy-producing sectors. can workforce to remain competitive and keep
A January 2009 report delivered by the Coun- our nation at the forefront of a new low-carbon
42 SEPTEMBER | 2010

53. University; Al Zeitz, director of North Ameri-
can Operations at the DeWind Co.; and Colin
Coyne, managing principal of the Coyne Group,
LEED 2.0 accredited professional and lecturer of
sustainable enterprise at the Kellogg School of
Management on “Sustainable Strategy.”
SETTING THE STAGE
According to the American Council on Renew-
able Energy (ACORE), the anticipated increase
in wind power energy by 2040 will be significant,
as much as a tenfold increase when compared
with today’s production and consumption. In
addition, a study released in February 2010 by
Navigant Consulting, Inc., found that the num-
ber of renewable energy jobs would more than
double by 2025 if the nation adopted a plan to
require 25 percent of its electricity from re-
newable sources. Several states currently have
renewable portfolio standards, and the trend is
continuing.
“As we approach global peak oil in the next
25 years, optimistically, we must be able to di-
versify into the many sources available in order
to sustain energy production that will allow our
economy to grow without intermittent short-
ages, security vulnerabilities, extreme costs, or
environmental degradation,” says Ghassemi.
Sourcing United Nations data, an increasing
population is a considerable factor when looking
at alternative energy demand. “With projected
population growth exceeding 9 billion people by
2050,” he continues, “global energy consumption
worldwide, as well as the estimated domestic de-
mand, increases the need for production, avail-
ability, and delivery of energy from all renewable
sources [2].”
According to Zeitz there are a number of rea-
sons to anticipate growth in the wind industry,
including its benefits as a clean source of electri-
cal power and a good investment. “The devel-
opment of wind energy for electrical power is
growing more popular in the private sector,” he
says. “Many people would like to see more wind
turbines installed to generate electrical power.”
global economy. At the same time, these ini- “In the past three years, worldwide wind pow-
tiatives are changing the way that we produce, er capacity has more than doubled,” Coyne adds.
distribute, and use energy to reduce green “This is largely due to wind power becoming a
house gas emissions and cut our dependence cost competitive alternative, especially when
on foreign oil [1]. one considers that a wind plant is far less ex-
To better understand where the wind indus- pensive to construct than a conventional energy
try is headed and how to meet the increasing plant. Of course, one can’t ignore the general de-
job demand, Ecotech Institute spoke to three mand for clean power. Certainly this debate will
members of its board of advisors who special- heat up with recent events in the Gulf of Mexico.
ize in the wind energy sector and helped devel- New clean air standards will also accelerate de-
op the school’s curriculum. Those weighing in mand.”
on the industry’s potential and the demand for
talent include Abbas Ghassemi, Ph.D., direc- DEMAND FOR TALENT
tor of the Institute for Energy and the Environ- As with growth in any industry, skilled workers
ment, WERC executive director, and professor are essential to meet the demand. In the case
of chemical engineering at New Mexico State of wind power, people must be able to know
windsystemsmag.com 43

54. how to build and sustain tools, equipment, path for people interested in entering the green
and technology. Ultimately, this means jobs— economy with the right education. Ecotech In-
which is obviously positive in a tough econo- stitute offers seven associate’s degrees and a
my—but what kind of jobs will they be? Our certificate program.
experts underscored the increasing need for When asked about Ecotech Institute’s role
educated, skilled workers across the industry, in training future workers in the wind indus-
and what they could be doing. try, the experts were excited about applicable
“There are many different kinds of jobs job training, especially for wind technicians.
needed to support the growth of the wind “The wind companies are obviously adept at
industry,” says Zeitz. “However, the greatest what they do. However, graduates of Ecotech
number of jobs needed in the wind industry will bring much needed, on the ground, prag-
will be technicians. Wind turbine technicians matic knowledge,” Coyne says. “The issue for
are the backbone of the wind industry, and wind companies is taking what has largely
these technicians will be required to keep the been small-scale or theoretical models and
growing fleet of wind turbines maintained.” turning them into full-scale operations. This
“From green power brokers to wind turbine requires well-trained technicians who under-
technicians, the demand for jobs will be sub- stand the engineering behind the technology,
stantial,” Coyne says. “At a very pragmatic level, available in sufficient numbers, and grounded
the demand for technicians to serve these new in the mechanical realities of wind power con-
facilities will be great, as will attorneys and version.”
paralegals who understand the unique nuanc- Ghassemi believes that Ecotech can help
es of green power and green power incentives, companies find and place “trained individuals
real estate leases, and project financing.” to participate in this growth. Ecotech gradu-
“To address the ongoing and emerging needs ates will be able to fill the niche in all of the
for installers, operators, managers, field crew, sectors, including manufacturing in several
and supervisors, we should train individuals positions.”
in mechanical and electrical fields specific to “With the number of turbines that are cur-
wind power,” according to Ghassemi. “As the rently installed, and those that are scheduled
ramp-up takes place, there will be significant to be installed,” Zeitz says, “the greatest de-
growth in the manufacturing area for wind mand is for skilled technicians to commission,
blades, structures, gearboxes, and associated troubleshoot, and maintain them.”
hardware, emerging software, and technolo-
gies. There will also be a tremendous growth AN ENTHUSIASTIC FUTURE
for individuals to maintain and repair gearbox- A look at the future is exciting for people in-
es, energy storage devices, and utility service/ side and outside the field. With the potential
integration functions.” to bring more sustainable choices to the mar-
ketplace and bolster new, diverse workforces,
CREATING SKILLED WORKERS the wind industry offers promise. “We need to
Ecotech Institute, which recently opened its continue to be mindful of our energy availabil-
doors in Aurora, Colorado, was created to help ity, production, use, and delivery,” says Ghas-
fill this demand. The first and only school in semi. “While we need to have scientists and
the United States entirely focused on renew- engineers doing their part in making this hap-
able energy and sustainable design, it offers a pen, job training is vitally important in com-
44 SEPTEMBER | 2010

55. pleting the cycle and assists
in providing the resources re-
quired for making renewable
energy available.”
“So much of the alternative
energy discussion has taken
place at a global or strategic
level,” says Coyne. “What has
been ignored are the thou-
sands of technical jobs that
will turn these ideas into re-
ality. To me, the opportunities
of ‘green’ in 2010 are similar
to those that surrounded the
space program in 1969. Both
were catalysts for a new gen-
eration of entrepreneurs.”
REFERENCES:
1) Executive Office of the
President-Council of
Economic Advisers. The
Economic Impact of the
American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Second Quarterly Report,
January 13, 2010.
2) United Nations, World ed Nations, New York; Energy Information Administration,
Population Monitoring, Electricity, www.eia.doe.gov/fuelelectric.html.G. Stix, Sci-
ST/ESA/SER.A/228, Unit- entific American.
windsystemsmag.com 45

58. Tom
Moore
Reduced
access
Working
moms
Success
stories

59. before.
one
here
in
Jackson.

61. -­‐