Fanshawe's St. Thomas campus welcomes a new program

Looking to be a part of the thriving green energy sector? Fanshawe's new Renewable Energies Technician program may be just what you're looking for. This 12-month diploma program will be offered at the St. Thomas campus and will prepare graduates to work with a variety of renewable energy technologies.

“When we create new programs, we look at gaps in the current workforce and the potential for future job growth,” said Bruno Castellani, coordinator of the Renewable Energies Technician program. Last year, the green energy industry was booming. According to the article “Renewable Energy Among Industrial Revolution's Next ‘Leaps'” by David Dodge, “In 2011, there were 382,000 jobs in the renewable energy sector and the industry was worth $50 billion.”

“We know that these technologies are new, that skilled workers are already in demand, and that the demand will only increase as we continue pushing towards more environmentally responsible ways of creating and using energy,” said Castellani. “These credentials will open doors to a wide variety of great jobs, some of which don't even exist yet. The prospects are very exciting.”

The new program will offer students a blend of practical and theoretical training with a focus on emerging technologies in solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal energy systems. The program's course work will provide students with a solid foundation in the electrical, electronic and mechanical disciplines that are relevant to the sector.

With this diploma, graduates can go down many different career paths, working as technicians, designers, site inspectors, researchers or as entrepreneurs developing unique systems. They may also be able to use the program as a transfer into further education.

Castellani has high hopes for this new program. “Green energy is one of the most exciting and promising new technological frontiers,” he said. “Businesses, organizations and governments are working hard to improve energy efficiency through new systems and technologies. Our graduates will have the expertise to design those systems, as well as the technical skill to install and maintain them.”

Fanshawe is currently accepting applicants for this program to start September 2012. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/ret1s, or contact Castellani at 519-633-2030 ext. 234 or bcastellani@fanshawec.ca