TUCUMCARI, NM- The North American Wind Research and Training Center at Mesalands Community College was awarded $523,751 for the Wind Center of Excellence Grant. This grant recognizes the new Wind Center as a statewide educational leader in the training of qualified wind energy technicians. The College has partnered with local workforce development boards, green businesses, and colleges throughout the state in order to meet the industry's need for highly-skilled employees in wind energy.

The State Energy Sector Partnership and Training Grant Centers of Excellence was established to expand existing green industry programs, or establish new programs that could be used throughout the state. This grant will essentially assist the State of New Mexico in building and sustaining a competitive workforce.

“The Wind Center of Excellence Grant will allow our College to share the resources of the North American Wind Research and Training Center with the rest of the state, in order to build a strong workforce in the wind industry,” Dr. Mildred Lovato, President of Mesalands said.

The grant will mean that the new Wind Center at Mesalands can continue their efforts in enhancing their training programs to satisfy an urgent demand for workers in the utility wind operations and maintenance industry. To accomplish this objective the College has partnered with various local workforce development boards including the Wind Energy Sub-Industry; Eastern Area Workforce Development Board; the Central New Mexico (CNM) Community College; and the Estancia Valley Economic Development Corporation. The College has also partnered with two institutions, CNM Community College and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Two green businesses Baker Concrete and Magnum Steel Buildings, Inc will too have a major part in this project.

“All of the partners in the grant have agreed to assist with recruitment, as well as look to our graduates of this program as potential employees,” said Jim Morgan, Director of the North American Wind Research and Training Center. “Right now the College has one year certificate and a two-year degree in wind energy technology, but that might not be in the best interest of New Mexico workers.”

Many workers in the state are unable to afford the cost or spend the time to obtain the certificate or degree in wind energy technology. However, Morgan says that state workers still need to find employment and gain some training to be more competitive in the renewable job market.

In order to meet this need, Mesalands has developed various certification programs in wind energy technology, that are designed to be completed in a short amount of time. The Twelve Week Occupational Certificate Program will include 12 credit hours of courses, such as Introduction to Wind and Electrical Theory. The first 10 weeks of this program can either be delivered on-site or off campus, and the remaining two weeks are delivered as the hands-on lab portion where students will have the opportunity to climb the 1.5 megawatt wind turbine at the new Wind Center. Students completing this program will receive an Occupational Certificate in Basic Wind Principles.

Two day and three day courses will also be offered at a combination with the CNM campuses and the Mesalands campus, that will result in a Mesalands Certificate of Course Completion. These programs will also include a day of climbing the College's turbine.

All of the certificate programs will include customized short term training in industry certification requirements such as OSHA 10 (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), Confined Spaces, Tower Rescue, Lock out/Tag Out and First Aid and CPR.

Mesalands plans to begin offering these certification programs in the spring.