Environmental sustainability at core of new NAIT program
The renewable energy industry is growing fast. This year, Alberta approved the construction of its biggest wind farm yet. It also agreed to host Canada’s largest biodiesel refinery. Even local builders are tapping the “green” energy market, designing homes that produce as much power as they use.
The overall result is an ever-strengthening integration of conventional and renewable energy production. And along with that comes the need for technicians to serve a sector expected to see healthy growth over the next decade. To help meet that demand, NAIT will launch its full-time, two-year Alternative Energy Technology diploma program in fall, 2011.
Developed in consultation with industry, the program focuses on the field as a whole, providing students with multiple entry points into a job market defined by diversity. Curriculum will cover solar, thermal, geothermal, and wind energy, as well as micro-hydro systems, fuel cells, biofuel production and even carbon capture technology.
What’s more, the new diploma will prepare students to directly contribute to the design, rather than just the installation, of renewable energy equipment and infrastructure. To do that, it will extend beyond the science and technology, and promote the soft skills vital to successfully putting both to work.
Graduates will be able to evaluate systems for efficiency and cost effectiveness, use related software, adhere to regulations and codes, and manage projects. Exposure to working power generation systems in the laboratories of NAIT’s soon-to-be-finished Centre for Alternative Energy, along with an applied research project, will provide problem-solving and hands-on experience, giving grads an advantage in the eyes of employers. Ultimately, that could mean a stronger industry overall.
Learn more about NAIT’s new program at www.nait.ca/programs/alt.
