Educating Technicians in Energy Efficiency

Lurleen B. Wallace Community College, Andalusia AL

Investigators

Abstract

Improved energy efficiency in manufacturing and transportation are of vital importance to the United States. This project at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College (LBW) in rural South Alabama, which is designed to enhance energy efficiency, will have a widespread impact by meeting the needs of students, educators, and regional employers. The primary goal of the project is to meet emerging needs for increased energy efficiency by improving the quality of technician education in Industrial Electronics and Diesel and Heavy Equipment Mechanics. Faculty will actively recruit diverse student groups including veterans and other non-traditional groups to programs through career fairs, campus visits, and visits to military installations. The program responds to industry demands as graduates of the Industrial Electronics program will have experience with Siemens Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), which are widely used in industry for their efficiency and scalability. Graduates of the Diesel and Mechanics program with preparation on natural gas engines will serve employers not only on offshore rigs, but also in the transportation industry with fleet vehicles and local and regional carriers. Diesel technicians who have experience with these engines are integral to the continued growth and evolution of the natural gas industry. By better preparing program graduates and providing instructional resources for classroom integration, the college will advance technician education in the diesel and electronics fields. The college plans to meet its project goals through professional development for faculty, to include instruction in natural-gas engines and Siemens components, and through respective curriculum revisions that will ensure graduates are more fully prepared for the workforce. Students enrolled in the Industrial Electronics and Diesel and Heavy Equipment Mechanics programs will receive an enhanced curriculum taught by instructors who have participated in extensive professional development in their fields. The inclusion in the curriculum of instruction on natural gas engines will assure that the enhanced programs meet the needs of employers as these additions respond directly to industry demands. Technicians with this additional knowledge will be more flexible and better able to respond to the developments in their field. During the professional development phase of the project, faculty will participate in rigorous industry training and gain the knowledge and expertise needed to master emerging trends, expand their technical programs, and meet workforce demands. During the curriculum revision phase, faculty will collaborate with one another, the Dean of Applied Technologies, their technical advisory committees, and state-wide curriculum development committees to ensure the creation of well-developed course objectives, activities, and student learning outcomes. The programs will include additional mathematics and science courses, and more mathematics and science will be integrated into the technical courses. Extensive assessment of student learning will ensure that students are graduating with the knowledge and skills required to be successful in their field. Articulation agreements are in place with two universities for students who wish to continue their educations.