Smart Start to Skilled Technical Careers in Energy Management Technology

The future of energy use is changing as smart technologies integrate with traditional mechanical systems to control lighting, ventilation, security, and other functions in residential and industrial buildings. For example, modern building controls now include devices such as Wi-Fi enabled lighting controls with daylight sensors, carbon-dioxide sensors to control ventilation rates, and power load alarms for critical needs like food refrigeration.

As a result, the need for skilled energy technicians has grown and the skills they need are more complex. In Northeast Wisconsin, the demand for energy management technicians continues to exceed the supply of qualified applicants. Thus, new strategies are needed to address shortages and create a workforce of skilled technicians to manage these technologies.

In this project, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College will partner with local employers to increase the number of skilled energy management technicians. Specifically, the project intends to develop an energy management educational program that bridges mechanical equipment engineering skills with information technology and computational skills. The program will be designed to prepare a skilled technical workforce that will address energy management needs in an increasingly internet-connected, global society.

Faculty in the existing Energy Management Technology program and the College’s K-12 relations manager will collaborate with industry and secondary education representatives to educate students, instructors, and educational leaders about today’s smart technology-driven building control systems. Through this partnership, the project plans to: create an Energy Controls Career Pathway Certificate as an entry-level pathway credential; increase energy career and education awareness, with attention to recruiting more women to a field traditionally dominated by men; provide curriculum, hands-on resources, training, and supports for high school instructors to deliver a one-credit course in the Certificate; and launch the full Certificate as an entry-level credential through dual credit delivery for high school juniors and seniors.

This project has the potential to create a replicable model for meeting employer demand for skilled technicians. Ultimately, it is anticipated that the project will support reductions in the cost of smart energy installations and maintenance, benefiting the environment, as well as consumer health and finances. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the nation's economy.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.