Offshore Wind Energy

The Center of Workforce Innovation for Renewable Energy selected the Wind Energy pathway as an important pathway emerging in New Jersey. The State’s Energy Master Plan established the goal of generating 7.5 GW of electricity from offshore wind energy by 2035 to transition to 100 percent clean energy, or carbon neutral, by 2050. The New Jersey Wind Industry is projected to see over 7,000 jobs by 2028 and 108% growth in Wind Turbine Technician jobs specifically.   

 The Wind Energy pathway builds upon the associate and bachelor’s degree programs already under development by Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) and Rowan University.  

The deliverables completed to Connect to High Schools include three Project Awareness Experiences and a Renewable Energy Principles dual enrollment course. The awareness projects utilize games related to electricity generated via a wind turbine. They focus on simulation and project-based instruction to help students understand the elements of working with offshore wind. The three projects are designed to allow teachers to deliver them independently or sequence them. The Renewable Energy Principles Course will survey energy conversion, conservation, and alternative energy resources’ regulatory and economic aspects.   

During this pathway, the development of connecting to Community College Non-Credit was achieved through the development of an Exploration in Wind Energy Careers Workshop. This workshop will give students information about an Overview of Working in the Industry, Energy 101: Wind Power, Wind Energy Careers, Career Profiles, Exploration Activities, and Offshore Wind Turbine Technician.  

Experience-based learning is critical to the development of quality employees. Apprenticeship and Experiential Learning benchmarks for the Wind Energy pathway include the development of a Wind Turbine Technician Pre-Apprenticeship program and standards for the Wind Turbine Technician apprenticeship. This is the first proposed Wind Turbine Technician apprenticeship program in New Jersey. The apprenticeship is based on an existing US DOL registered apprenticeship which was modified to include relevance to the offshore wind industry. Successful completers will obtain three industry valued credentials in each program: (1) OSHA 10, (2) CPR/First Aid, and (3) Global Wind Organization Basic Technical Training (GWO BTT) in the pre-apprenticeship program and Global Wind Organization Basic Safety Training w/Sea Survival (GWO BST w/Sea Survival) through the apprenticeship.  

It is essential to provide students with industry-valued credentials and training that helps move them towards completing a degree when they are ready. Moving students along their career pathway includes certifications and the assessment of industry-valued credential for college credit (Prior Learning Assessment – PLA). The STEM faculty at Atlantic Cape Community College (ACCC) have identified three college credits for the GWO Basic Safety Training w/Sea Survival program stackable into ACCC’s Associate of Applied Science in Technical Studies degree, as well as the Associate of Applied Science for Wind Turbine Technician degree under development at Rowan College of South Jersey. Through RCSJ’s use of Prior Learning Assessment of the Wind Turbine Technician apprenticeship related technical instruction (RTI), successful completers of the Wind Turbine Technician apprenticeship program at RCSJ will be awarded 15 college credits stackable into the Wind Turbine Technician Academic Certificate and/or the Associate of Applied Science for Wind Turbine Technician degree which is currently under development at RCSJ.  

New and updated curriculum is essential for our students and participants as they move along their education and training pathways. Also important is the Professional Development/Capacity Building of the instructors who will teach the programs. The Wind Energy pathway further includes detailed Train-the-Trainer Workshops for the Project Awareness Experiences. Lastly the Strategies for Teaching Adult Learners / online learners course will allow professionals with content knowledge and experience to learn some foundations for teaching adults.