Renewable Energy Degrees- Is It Worth It?

February 8th, 2010

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The education factor is changing itself immensely and that is one reason why different schools, colleges and universities have started to add the renewable energy degree opportunities in their program and curriculum. Students worldwide have also started to look for accredited wind and solar schools in order to start working in the green energy industry.

Going green has become the need of today because of the economic conditions of the world. Globalization has made the world even a smaller place and on top of that, the rising prices of oil have diverted the thinking of people towards some other source of energy. As an alternative, the greenhouse gases have started to play their part in order to solve this issue.

All the big industries have realized the need of installing some alternate sources of energy because of the increasing problems. Secondly, the economic factor has also influenced heavily on a number of global markets due to which number of people are now sitting in their homes and have lost their jobs. So actually, the green energy industry has become a light of hope and has created some job opportunities.

The knowledge of the solar or wind energy cannot be delivered completely in just one day as the process takes time in university and colleges. Schools and different colleges have started to focus on the rising problem these days and they are working efficiently to provide a greater number of renewable energy degree graduates.

Students worldwide are also now thinking of building their careers in the green degree program because of the availability of jobs in the sector. They have started to believe that this is in fact the emerging field and it would be much easier to get a job rather than going or choosing a different path.

  • The salary or pay is also one factor why students are persuaded to join this field, as it pays extremely high.

If you are a person with ecological insights, you want to save the environment from the existing harmful energy sources or if you want to learn new things about certain phenomena’s (such as renewable energy sources and global warming), a renewable energy degree is the best choice.

If you already are a university or a college degree holder then you also have an option of certificate programs.  Solar/wind programs also are very effective in leading the path towards knowledge about the green movement. The renewable energy degree is extremely helpful from all scenarios and on top of that, starts to prove its worth right after the day you receive the certificate.

The renewable energy degree acts as a door for the people who are brave enough to take the initiative in joining this industry and choosing this field as a profession, which will surely lead them to economic recovery.

Boots on the Roof, a leading Renewable Energy training institute, is enrolling students into its Wind Energy Training classes. For more information on qualifications, Training Dates and Locations, click here.

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Wind Power Jobs Are For Everyone

January 11th, 2010

With the new hype about green collar jobs, the wind industry has successfully managed to provide countless wind power jobs to interested applicants. Currently, there are about 50,000 positions available, on wind farms or the in the wind turbines production chain (manufacturing, transportation, installation, maintenance).

The US Department of Energy has planned to cover 20% of the electricity needs from wind power by 2030. This means that new wind power jobs will be made available for years to come, so you have all the time to get prepared for a green career.

Wind technician jobs are the entry-level position in the wind industry. However, extra training and experience can bring you a brilliant career in the green collar industry. Colleges around the US offer complete wind-training programs, who will qualify you as a wind power technician.

Here is more information about wind power jobs:

  • Any mechanical experience is welcomed;
  • You must obtain a wind technician degree from one of the accredited colleges/universities.
  • Must be in a good physical shape and comfortable with heights or confined spaces;
  • Relocation opportunities;
  • Good salary.
  • Career opportunities.

Boots on the Roof is currently enrolling students into its upcoming Wind training boot camp. To learn more about dates, locations, and course details,  click here.

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Best Three Green Collar Jobs

January 8th, 2010

One of the main concerns of current governments are to preserve the natural resources of the Earth, to reduce pollution and to inform people about the renewable sources of energy in order to build a safe future for the next generation. Therefore, it is no wonder that many successful people have decide to ditch their old jobs and become a part of this green movement. Green collar jobs are not only useful, but they bring the promise of a solid, successful career. I’ve seen lawyers becoming representatives and protectors of environmental companies, or architects who switched from building skylines to promoting environmentally conscious building practices. It doesn’t matter what you current job is; green collar jobs are becoming very attractive from many points of view. Let’s see the best three green collar jobs today:

  1. I. Environmental architects work in the domestic green building industry. In addition to their architecture degree, you have to follow a course to get ready for the LEED Accredited Professional Exam (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
  2. II. Wind/ turbine technician allows you to work in the renewable energy sector. Applicants must take a 1-2 year wind technology degree program at one of the community colleges around the country.
  3. III. Retrofitters in the automotive industry. There is a huge need of converting old vehicle systems to environmental standards. The bio fuel industry has many available positions, including technicians who have to replace traditional engines with flex-fuel / diesel engines.

Boots on the Roof, a leading Renewable energy training institute, is enrolling students into its Solar PV Training and Wind Training classes. For more information on qualifications, Training Dates and Locations, click here.

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The best new wind training centre in the US: Boots on the Roof

September 24th, 2009

When it comes to alternative energy and wind training, there is one name that comes to everyone’s lips: Boots on the Roof. Located in Fremont, California and New York/New Jersey, the training facilities include a series of advantages for anyone interested in switching to a green career, including:

  • state-of-the-art technology for each classroom
  • technical training rooms with networked computers for better team efforts
  • study areas for students
  • For a hands-on approach, labs come equipped with industry-standard tools
  • Free shuttle to and from the San Jose airport and between the training center and the Chase Suite hotel
  • Free lunch for all students

The Boots on the Roof training center is specialized in both solar energy and wind energy training, with a focus on professionals in those industries. Courses are varied and are available for any level of wind knowledge, from beginners to experienced engineers.  Here are just few of the current options:

1. The Green Association Training course is the latest accreditation added to the US Green Building Council’s series of exams. This is required to be passed in order to become a LEED AP. The course will expand on the topics that are included in the exam’s bibliography and allow you to get familiarized before taking the exam.

2. The 5-day Wind Energy Boot Camp is one of their most popular courses. Besides tips on how to attract Federal and State incentives for taking advantage of the wind energy, builders and engineers will have the opportunity to learn how to add wind turbine installations to their service offerings (which will surely increase their business profits while providing valuable services for their customers’ future).

Fresh graduates with new qualifications are expected to fill key positions in wind power companies all over the world. With companies worldwide seeking their wind workforce from the Boots on the Roof Camp, we believe this is a great opportunity to build your green collar career right here.

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If You Are Out of Work, Consider Wind Training

September 21st, 2009

Our flagging economy has hit the job sector very hard. People are being laid off by the hundreds in many industries. Laborers and executives alike are finding themselves in the unemployment lines regardless of how good they were at their job. Large and small companies alike have had to make serious cutbacks to stay afloat and many have not been able to do so. For all of these people who don’t know where to turn, there is one direction that they should consider taking and that is wind training.

Alternative energy is an industry that is growing, not slowing. The field is wide open in all sectors of this important field. We have become acutely aware of the limitations of our current energy sources and we know it is time to look for renewable resources that will carry us into the future. Wind technology has begun to show that it can do just that. With wind training any individual can become a part of this exciting new industry.

Venture capitalists are putting their money eagerly into wind turbines because they see the benefits of this renewable energy source. They are willing to go the extra mile to see it happen and take a risk in the process. Wind turbines are beginning to pop up all over the country but unfortunately there are not enough workers with wind training to help them in the process.

An individual who is interested in this industry has a wide open opportunity. A wide variety of workers are needed to fill the vacant spots all over the country and all over the world. From starting technicians who are being paid $25 an hour and up to executives who quickly make three figure incomes, manpower is needed to keep this industry moving at the pace it is currently moving.

Community colleges have begun to consider offering wind training. At the moment there are only a handful of colleges offering programs. There are a variety of programs available from a degree program to a one or two year certificate program. Companies are offering “boot camps” in an effort to pick up the volume of available workers.

Steelworkers, construction workers, mechanics and all manner of laborers are desperately needed. By going to a school and getting wind training, many of the unemployed people who have some mechanical skills already would be able to find new jobs after going through wind training and become familiar with the industry.

Salespeople, executives and managers are also needed to oversee the labor force. Degree programs in engineering and/or wind training can help them make the switch as well. Changing industries is not as difficult to do as it may seem at first. As the colleges and technical schools begin to develop their wind technology curriculum, wind training will become more and more accessible.

As our economy struggles to find its equilibrium, it is going to be necessary for many of the unemployed to retrain in a new field. The renewable energy field is a lucrative field that is growing rapidly and one that should be considered by anyone who has been laid off and is out of work indefinitely.

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Wind Training to Provide Multifaceted Careers

September 18th, 2009

A large part of the career employees in wind energy is comprised of mechanical engineers in the manufacturing, installation and operations field. Production of blades, towers and gearboxes need manufacturing engineers, plant managers and quality assurance personnel who are skilled in the mechanical workings of wind turbines. Electrical engineers are needed to design and analyze the control systems that run the mechanical systems. But if you just can’t sink your teeth into engineering, there are several alternatives in wind training. Computer science, aerodynamics, atmospheric science and mathematics are a few more areas where professionals are needed.

International in nature, the world is at your fingertips once you make the leap into wind energy. It is easy to consider the wind business as an entrepreneur, especially with investors finally taking an interest in alternative fuels. GE Wind, Siemens, Caterpillar and Shell Oil are a few names that prove the wind industry is here to stay and the world will share in its growing technology. Wind training is becoming more and more accessible and the choices in different segments of the industry are really blooming.

A great way to decide whether or not you are a career candidate with wind is to find a workshop or conference that shows all the aspects of the business. A workshop provides important information, networking opportunities and can even be a direct route to a job offer. Conferences have hundreds of vendors discussing the ins and outs of what is involved once you decide to pursue this path. Some conferences even offer wind-training classes to share the industry’s basics, looking for promising employees and clients. There are also degree-granting programs that offer wind training in specific areas and many can get you pointed to a hands-on internship with an area wind manufacturer.

Environmental and consulting services are also working closely with wind energy companies because of the wind resource assessments that have to be done. Noise consideration, wildlife, ground solidity, accessibility and a number of other factors need to be forecast before the actual plans for a wind farm are drawn up. Marketing is also a huge part in presenting new alternative energy options. Wind training is important to those wanting to critique sales skills to enter this booming market. Outside of the skilled jobs that wind energy commands, there are also a variety of factory, maintenance, clerical and indirect positions that need filled.

Becoming a teacher in the wind training industry is also something that should be considered. With all of the schools and classes now being made available, a shortage of teachers is surely going to follow. Find out what the requirements are and get started. Any prior teaching or training in the sciences, management or mechanical sector are areas where teaching is needed in wind training. Our world is taking a critical turning point with evolving energy needs and now is the best time to grab on to this quickly moving opportunity.

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Wind Training Offers a New Career Path

September 15th, 2009

Many college graduates are bemoaning the fact that the job market is so poor. After all that time, energy, and money put into acquiring a degree, many are being forced into low paying jobs or unemployment. It’s not all hopeless for them or for the many people who are now unemployed because of the downturn in the economy.

Our economy is a fluctuating entity. It rises and falls for all sorts of reasons. It is true that we are in a slump at the moment, but it will not last forever. It will come back again healthy and strong but very different. There are already signs on the horizon of the changes that are ahead. One of them is the growing wind energy sector. It has begun to open the door for those with wind training.

Alternative energy sources are necessary now more than ever. Many have decided it is time to do something about the growing oil shortage and our environmental concerns. Green technology is being funded by venture capitalists now more than ever because they realize the time has come for a change to take place. And it is.

Wind training is a new career path opportunity that has arisen from the growth in the number of wind turbines that are being placed on line. There are few who are properly trained to handle these jobs and it is making it difficult for progress to be made. When a wind turbine breaks down there is often no one to fix it.

The demand is so high, in fact, that premium pay is being offered to anyone who has the necessary wind training to handle these jobs. New technicians can make up to $30 an hour to start and those with advance training have no problem earning up to six figures. A wind training certificate can be earned in as little as one year. There are also two-year programs and degree programs.

Even the government has begun to put money into this sector. They are now funding programs in colleges to help make wind training courses and equipment available to the students who are interested. They now realize that it is important for our economy and the future of our country to develop better sources of energy that will make us independent from foreign oil and protect our environment. Wind energy is one such resource.

Private companies are also beginning to offer wind training and “boot camps” are cropping up to get people trained quickly. These programs provide students with the necessary training to acquire employment in the field of wind energy.

Renewable energy technology programs in colleges throughout the country prepare students for a wide range of jobs. Wind-generation is one such field that requires employees with a variety of skills that include electronics, mechanics, and electricity.

Students who are unable to find employment after graduation would benefit from looking into wind training, as it is one field where jobs are readily available and the pay is good.

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Wind Training May Open the Door for You

September 12th, 2009

If you’re looking for a job in this flagging economy, you might want to start thinking about wind training. What’s that you ask? Wind energy is on the cutting edge of alternative energy sources and the demand for wind turbines has risen dramatically.

The push is on for alternative sources of energy. The rise of gas prices and the down turn in the economy has gotten everyone talking about going green. We want to decrease our dependency on foreign oil and the wind is just waiting to be tapped. In order to do so, however, wind turbines are not the only thing that is need. A work force that has been through wind training is essential.

Therein lays the problem. The number of people who have gone through some form of wind training is far less than is needed to sustain the growth in the industry. Therefore, if you are interested in starting a new career, this may be just the place to do it. The market is wide open.

Venture capitalists have not been afraid to hop on the bandwagon. They are supporting this effort to the hilt. We already have 30,000 wind turbines producing energy in this country. The wind is a perfect source of energy ready to be tapped. Those who have wind training are being paid $20 an hour, and more, to start. Those gain experience and are willing to travel from place to place can just about write their own check.

To make matters even more difficult there are not very many schools that provide wind training. If you are fortunate enough to live near one, or are willing to travel to where there is a school, such training will be invaluable to starting a career in this lucrative field of alternative energy. Community colleges and technical schools seem to be the first to become involved in creating programs to provide wind training.

There has been an urgent push to get more schools on line and offering wind training. Wind energy companies are donating funds to support this cause in an effort to increase the work force as quickly as possible.

The need for people with wind training extends beyond the borders of this country. Other countries are also increasing their sources of wind energy and they are experience a lag in trained workers as well. Germany now has more than 250,000 jobs, only partially filled, in the renewable energy field. If you are interested and willing to work out side of the United States, there are even more jobs available.

Now is the time to get into this field if it is something you can see yourself doing. Now is the time to begin your career in the alternative energy field by seeking wind training and preparing yourself to enter this wide-open job market. This training can open the door to an exciting and profitable future in a rapidly growing industry that is desperately seeking qualified employees.

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Wind Training in Demand

September 9th, 2009

It seems that nowadays you cannot turn on the television, open a newspaper or listen to the radio without hearing or reading something about the state of our environment and the part that fossil fuels has played in harming it. There is certainly a demand for more information about alternative energy sources and especially in wind energy. In the United States there is now a growing demand for wind energy technicians but there is a shortage of suitably qualified applicants.

If you have recently lost your job or you are looking at a career change then why not retrain for the wind energy sector. It doesn’t take long to learn about starting up a wind project nor to learn about what it takes in terms of up keep and maintenance. If you want a new career in a sector that is growing every day then it is well worth your while to invest time and money in wind energy training.

The American Wind Energy Association says that the sector is experiencing an annual growth of 30% and so more technicians are needed to cope with the growing number of projects. Wind power is the fastest growing alternative energy source in the world today and this has led to a need for more people to keep up with these systems. There are plenty of jobs in America at the moment but there seems to be a lack of people who have any wind training and education. If you want to be at the forefront of ecological change then you really should try and get some wind training as soon as possible.

There is a lot to learn in the wind energy sector and wind training will include both practical and theoretical aspects of using this energy source. If you sign up for wind training then you are likely to be learning about aero dynamics and wind patterns, those people who already have either a surveying or an engineering degree are especially in demand in the wind energy sector.

Engineers are needed to work on the design and specifications of wind energy projects and surveyors are in demand for finding the best placement for a wind energy project. Most energy is stored and often sold back to companies so knowledge of electricity is an invaluable skill in this sector. If you possess any of these skills then you will probably only need one of the many short, intense courses on wind energy to qualify for a job in the sector. Although the employment sector is shrinking every day in most aspects, there are plenty of wind energy positions available for the right people who have the skills to deal with essential aspects of this field.

Although wind training is still a young discipline the number and type of courses available is growing every day. Some agencies have taken up the idea of offering scholarships in an attempt to get more people working in the wind energy sector. If you already have an engineering degree then you will only need a minimum of further training to be able to get a job in this rapidly growing sector.

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Wind Training for the Eco Sector

September 6th, 2009

If you are looking to retrain for another job then you might want to consider wind training. The emphasis on environmentally friendly living has led to a number of job opportunities in wind power and other alternative energy fields. Although the wind sector is growing daily in the US there is an insufficient number of properly trained individuals to take up these positions. An increasing number of home owners are getting turned on to wind and solar energy because it is so cheap for them to install it in their homes. If you would like your home to run on wind energy then getting some wind energy training will not only mean a new career, but a more environmentally friendly home as well.

There are plenty of opportunities around for people to receive wind training. You can even learn how to harness wind energy from the comfort of your own home as there are plenty of instructional materials, including home videos, on the market today. When you find a wind training course one of the things that you will learn is how to store that wind energy in a battery for times when the wind is low.

On present showing, the US appears to be following Germany’s lead in the use of alternative energy sources. Wind power is big in Germany and its use is growing rapidly in the United States, which has resulted in a number of establishments offering wind training to interested individuals. Estimates on wind power use in Europe should be interesting for the ecologically minded; the estimate is that 10million people will be using wind power for their electricity over the next ten years. A sector that has such high estimates for growth should be great for more jobs, at least for those people who have received wind energy training.

Now, more than ever before, alternative energy sources are important because of the growing number of energy consumers across the world. The academic world appears to be taking wind energy very seriously as there are a number of institutions offering postgraduate training in wind energy and other alternative energy sources. Both California and Colorado Universities are now offering wind energy training and the number of universities offering such training is also growing in the UK.

Wind training offered by the University of California is advertised as a technical grounding in the technology for those who are already working in the wind energy sector or for those who hope to work in the sector in the future. Most courses that are available are short and intense; California for example offers a two day intense wind training course for wind power technicians and would be technicians.

Course materials in wind energy training courses tend to focus on things such as aero dynamics, structural loads and the engineering of power electronics and control systems. Environmental issues, the design of modern wind turbines and grid integration are also covered in this short course. This brief overview of what is available tends to suggest that anyone opting for wind energy training should really have a background in engineering.

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