As the U.S. offshore wind industry expands to meet state and federal goals, colleges in and around New Orleans are establishing wind energy programs geared at both young students and experiences oil and gas workers, reports Utility Dive.
The offshore wind industry offers a significant economic opportunity for the region and those who live there, says Lacy McManus, executive director of future energy at GNO Inc. The state has lost “about 20,000 jobs over the last 20 years or so in the oil and gas sector,” McManus says. “So we have a number of folks who have the right skill set, the right occupational profiles, who could be redeployed into the wind buildout.”
Program leaders at the University of New Orleans and Nunez Community College say they have partnered with companies to develop wind energy curriculum that adheres to global training standards and imparts the most in-demand skills. Read more.
