Centers of Excellence Activities
Agriculture
· The agriculture industry and agriculture education has been involved with environmental issues and integrated curriculum in “green” and “sustainable” practices for a very long time. For example, all community and technical college agriculture programs include information about organic production methods. The Center for Excellence in Agriculture at Walla Walla leads efforts in agriculture education for community and technical colleges. WWCC programs that include green technology and sustainability include:
o Water Management Program degree options.
o Irrigation Technology.
o Plant & Soil Science degree
o Water Resources Technology. The Water Resources Technology degree is the focal point for sustainability or “thinking green” to-date at WWCC. This degree produces qualified candidates for jobs with Conservation Districts, Water Managers, Consultants, and Field Technicians to gather and analyze data that enables decision makers to think about economic impacts on our environment.
o Additional degree options are being explored that focus on sustainability assessments.
· WWCC has offered many extended learning classes with a focus on “Green” or “Sustainability” as topics. Walla Walla Community College has recently joined the Association of the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Their membership in AASHE signifies a commitment to sustainability on campus through actions and curricula. Campus wide efforts are being made to reduce energy consumption, waste production, reduce water use, and purchase “green” materials. A campus wide Sustainability Committee is currently being formed to help guide WWCC’s transition to a more sustainable future and assist faculty, staff, and students to “think green”.
· The William A. Grant Water & Environmental Center was recently completed, October 2007; this building is undergoing LEED Certification for energy efficiencies and reduced environmental impact. The WWCC Carpentry Program has hosted a large regional event focused on green building and is partnering with a local community group, Walla Walla Resource Council to spread the word about building green.
· Spokane district will be offering “cultivating success” dealing with development of small sustainable farms and ranches.
Energy
· The Center of Excellence in Energy and Centralia College is quickly becoming a test bed for integrating wind, solar, bio mass, ocean and hydro efficiency upgrades into the program delivery in an effort to support I-937 requirements for power producers to increase renewable sources of energy by 15% by 2020.
o They have created two wind energy videos one focused at the community college level and an animated one just released for use at the high school level.
o COE Energy summit has had a strong focus on renewable energy for the past two years and we will do so again this year.
o They are in the process of creating a Renewable Energy Training and Education Coalition to include 3 elements i.e. power production, process control of bio fuels, and green conduction/energy efficiency. This will involve collaboration among 3 COE’s (Centralia, Bellingham, and Renton) and all other interested community and technical colleges.
o Production of skill standards that outlines occupations in the areas or renewable power production
· Shoreline Community College solar skill standards and hybrid technology in automotive programs.
· Lake Washington Technical College –renewable energy theory.
· Cascadia Community College- new renewable certificate program.
· Bellingham Technical College –biofuels, wind, and solar – certificate program in biofuels. BTC has also been involved in
o Bio-Diesel 49 Degrees Border Project (Bio49) funded by the Washington Technology Center. Bio49 includes 11 bi-national partners who are collaborating to produce and market bio-diesel fuel for commercial vehicles and develop a bio-diesel industry in the Pacific Northwest.
o BTC Received an Alternative Energy Grant from Northwest Clean Air Agency. The following activities have been completed or are in the process:
o Installing a windmill as educational laboratory tool for renewable energy courses (windmill will be set up spring 08)
o Installing solar panels as educational laboratory tool for renewable energy Courses (0809)
Construction
· Construction Center of Excellence is actively working to train education and industry on “Green” principles and practices:
o The COE and Renton Technical College hosted a Green Building workshop on February 19 to educate industry professionals on the greening of the construction industry in WA state
o COE to provide a 3-hour workshop to be presented to high school CTE teachers at the following conference
o COE and RTC co-hosting a “Green Building School” on June 14 at the Renton McClendon Hardware – full day of green building workshops and classes; class to be offered through RTC’s “Lifestyles” continuing education course listings
o COE working with industry, labor, workforce, and education representatives on recently convened Green Building Skills Panel to identify potential training needs for “green collar” jobs
o COE plans to follow up the Construction Math Toolbox with a Green Building Science Toolbox, to be aimed at middle and high school students
· Many apprenticeships already offer “green collar” training as part of their existing programs – electricians learn how to install solar panels, carpenters are taught about new “green” materials they are likely to run into on the job
· Bates offers a series of green construction classes—some are online.
· North Seattle is working with the Built Green program to offer classes toward being “Built Green” certified, which is a residential building certification program in WA State.
· South Seattle is developing an Energy Audit certificate program.
· Walla Walla CC Carpentry Program may possibly build the first “green” home in Walla Walla this spring.
· Spokane CC district is working in green construction and hybrid technology in automotive.
General Education
· Many of our community and technical colleges are infusing “sustainability” across the curriculum. Here are two examples:
· Pierce College has a faculty on sabbatical who is working with Jean McGregor to develop learning community curriculum focusing on sustainability and a plan to infuse sustainability across the curriculum.
· Bellevue Community College has sustainability concepts across the curriculum such as Anthropology, English, Early Childhood Education, Interdisciplinary studies program, and the sciences. BCC is also involved in the following:
o Providing a quarterly program “Do More Than Survive: Make a Difference Through Your Work,” emphasizing sustainability as a career path
o The establishment of an Environmental Advisory Committee that provides resources and strategies to programs across disciplines in the area of green workforce development
o Two BCC staff members serve on the steering committee for the Curriculum for the Bioregion
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