Enhancing an Energy Technology Associate Degree Program to Meet Employer Needs

Lake-Sumter State College, Leesburg FL

Investigators

Abstract

Local, regional and national energy providers have a critical and long-term need for highly qualified substation and relay technicians to support the sensitive components of the national grid. This project at Lake Sumter State College (LSSC) in Florida is designed to meet this labor force need, with support from Duke Energy and other energy providers, by enhancing an engineering technology specialization in Electrical Substation and Protective Relay Technology (ESPRT). Through a strategic recruitment project, students will be recruited to join a hands-on technician education and training program that will culminate in a paid-summer internship and high skill, high wage employment. The project will focus on widespread dissemination of technical and general industry information that will result in the advancement of this and other similar education and training programs across the country. It will implement strategies to improve the overall science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) culture in the service district of the college. It will also strive to attain much needed racial and gender diversity within faculty and student groups and the energy industry at large. The ESPRT Program leaders will focus on developing an on-going collaboration for program improvement with the Florida ATE Center (FLATE, DUE 1204751), the Advanced Technology Environmental and Energy Center (ATEEC, DUE 1204958), and existing energy industry partners. The college will engage in on-going external and internal research including focus groups, surveys, and advisory board feedback and formal assessments that will result in data-driven decision making and program adjustments. The ESPRT Program will introduce an academically and technically rigorous next step for students and educators, with both populations attaining knowledge and skills that are instrumental to the success of energy technicians. The primary objectives of the project are to: (1) Upgrade program course content and materials to reflect current industry practices as identified by industry partners and provide students with knowledge and skills necessary to meet the employment needs of industry for a highly skilled, advanced technology energy workforce for today and the future. (2) Strengthen partnerships between industry partners, secondary educational institutions, and post-secondary educational entities to ensure that all stakeholders are working collaboratively to meet this existing, substantial workforce need. (3) Inform targeted populations about careers in energy systems protection and control, resulting in a pipeline of secondary school students for future ESPRT Program cohort groups. (4) Recruit and enroll no less than 20 students (with a particular emphasis on students from underrepresented racial and/or gender groups) into the ESPRT Program for each enrollment period. (5) Focus on student retention, student completion, student placement, and workforce needs by placing ESPRT Program students in internships with energy partners and other energy companies.