Lake Region State College in Devils Lake, North Dakota and Enel Green Power North America operators of the Lindahl wind farm in Tioga, announced a new scholarship opportunity for students interested in pursuing education as a wind energy technician, one of the nation’s fastest-growing careers in the U.S.
Students who enroll in Lake Region State College’s wind program and are residents of North Dakota are eligible to apply for one of two $2,500 scholarships; preference will be given to those students from the Tioga and Williams County area.
Lake Region State College already provides a comprehensive education program that offers students the education and hands-on experience to become wind energy technicians.
As part of EGP-NA’s mission to make renewable energy education accessible to more people and help meet this growing workforce need, the company has partnered with LRSC’s state-of-the-art program to assist students entering the wind turbine technician field.
Students who enroll in Lake Region State College’s wind program and are residents of North Dakota are eligible to apply for one of two $2,500 scholarships; preference will be given to those students from the Tioga and Williams County area.
The Wind Energy Technician Program at Lake Region State College is the first of its kind in the state of North Dakota. Rapid growth in the wind energy industry has sparked a burgeoning need for technicians. Lake Region State College has anticipated this emergence of workforce need and has worked closely with industry representatives to designed wind energy technician training courses that will prepare students for careers in the wind energy industry.
This year’s recipients of the scholarship are Derek Schwinler of Minot, ND and Benjamin Dalen of Mayville, ND. Both are students in the LRSC Wind Energy Technology program.
EGP-NA is a leading owner and operator of more than 100 renewable energy power plants across 23 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces. In North Dakota, the company operates the Lindahl wind project, a 150 MW wind farm in Williams County. EGP-NA aims to bring value and have a positive and lasting impact on the local communities where we are present, including economic and educational benefits from partnering with public schools in the state and contributing to science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) curriculum.
The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced growth in the wind energy field is expected to grow by more than 100 percent in the next 10 years.
Students in the Wind Energy Technician program have the option of completing a one-year certificate program or continuing to the second year to earn an Associate in Applied Science degree. At LRSC, students train in LRSC’s 1.6-MW turbine. Students in the program will earn how to fix and maintain wind turbines and get a hands-on educational experience by working on the actual turbines. Students must be comfortable with heights, have the ability to climb and have good manual dexterity. Wind energy technicians must also be able to work in confined spaces. Work on wind towers may be indoor or outdoor in a variety of weather conditions.
Lake Region State College is a student-centered, open-access, comprehensive community college within the North Dakota University System. The college provides quality academic education, vocational/technical training, workforce training, educational outreach opportunities, and life-long learning.
Filed Under: Community wind, News, Projects
