This Community College Will Pay Students to Attend Renewable Energy Training

• Carteret Community College will pay students $10 an hour to attend its new renewable energy program.
• The course will focus on wind energy, construction, using tools, and other hands-on training.
• The program is funded by a federal Good Jobs Challenge grant, according to a press release.
• The program will run from June 19 through Sept. 7.

A North Carolina community college is paying students to attend a new renewable energy training program.

Carteret Community College in Morehead City will pay students $10 an hour to attend the classes as part of the program, which will cover renewable energy and construction, according to a press release from the school. The program will run from June 19 to Sept. 7, with classes held from 1-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

The program is funded by a $23.7 million Department of Commerce Good Jobs Challenge grant, according to the release. Funding from that program can fully cover the cost of registration and course materials in addition to the $10 per hour, according to the release.

"We are excited about possibilities this new program will bring to our area," Carteret Community College Vice President Perry Harker said in the release.

"While this initiative is new to the region, we are looking forward to training future workers for an industry that not only has huge growth potential and proven environmental benefits, but also the student to develop work skills that is applicable in various construction jobs."

BestColleges previously reported that community colleges are key partners in the Good Jobs Challenge workforce initiative. That $500 million program aims to increase job opportunities for 50,000 Americans, and includes a wide array of funding in various growing fields.

Dallas College in Texas, for example, will lead an $8.7 million partnership centered on developing a biotechnology workforce as part of that federal initiative.

That federal initiative is just one aspect of a much wider workforce development effort by the federal government. The Biden administration's recently released workforce development plan includes funding for apprenticeships and other training programs to cut back on skill gaps in key areas — including renewable energy. That plan calls for a "workforce hub" in Phoenix, which is seen as a key area for renewable energy programs that support tribal communities, BestColleges previously reported.

Colleges and universities have increasingly focused on green energy in recent years both in their curriculum and university policies. Vanderbilt University activated a 35-megawatt solar farm earlier this year as part of a goal to become carbon neutral by 2050, BestColleges previously reported.

That focus on renewable energy in higher education comes as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects thousands of new green energy jobs will develop over the next decade. Wind turbine service technicians and solar photovoltaic installers are among the fastest-growing fields in the nation, according to BLS data.

Students interested in the Carteret Community College program can complete an online registration form and submit it to McCormacR@carteret.edu, according to the release.