Coming Career Choice for the Ozarks: Wind Training

First posted on 11-26-2008

With at least three wind turbine plants locating to Arkansas cities and all eyes on Oklahoma as a possible mecca for harnessing the wind to produce electricity, it’s no wonder that colleges and universities in the region are developing programs to teach the skills needed to become a wind industry technician or engineer.

Right now, three colleges in Oklahoma - Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City and High Plains Technology Center in Woodward - are offering these types of programs. And, with the Obama administration already laying out plans for a major government investment in cleaner technologies, plans are already in the works at universities, colleges and technology centers to add wind technology to their curriculum.

The boost to the local economy could be substantial as wind technology takes hold. Commerce experts in Oklahoma alone are predicting:

· Nearly 7,000 new jobs across the state over the next 5 years.
· Salaries for those jobs ranging from $44,900 the first year to $60,400 in the fifth year.
· $1.48 billion in total personal income created by the wind industry alone.

Ready to get started? Here’s the quick take on three Oklahoma programs:

Oklahoma City Community College
Contact: Rhonda Cantrell at 405-682-7853 or

A 22-credit-hour Certificate of Mastery program includes the following:

* Introduction to wind energy
* AC/DC Fundamentals
* Industrial Electronics
* Instrumentation and Control
* Programmable Controller
* Electromechanical Devices

Plans are being finalized for biotechnology programs as well.

Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City
Contact: http://www.osuokc.edu/webenroll or call 405-945-8678

Associate in Applied Science, wind turbine technology starts with the Spring, 2009 semester. The degree program includes the following courses:

* Fundamentals of Electricity
* Principles of Power Transmission
* Principles of Power Distribution
* Climb Safety and Tower Rescue
* Wind Turbine Operation and Maintenance
* Industrial Safety
* Computer Concepts

High Plains Technology Center
Contact: Kimberlee Smithton at 580-571-6125 or

A wind energy technician certificate program for the Spring, 2009 semester. Classes for the seven-month program will be held in the evening and include the following:

* History of Wind Development
* Electrical Fundamentals
* Wind Turbine Instrument & Controls
* Wind Turbine Systems & Components
* Employee Development Expectations
* Wind Industry Internship