HIGH-POWERED JOBS: Renewable energy technicians are in demand to install and maintain complex mechanical and electrical systems such as the microhydo dam and control panel in the photographs.

Those who have tried to hire skilled trades people to handle some of their home improvement or construction needs have been frustrated by the escalating wait times and costs. That is, of course, if they can find anyone willing to commit to their project at all.

Additionally, consumers are faced with some of the highest energy costs ever seen, which have resulted in an entirely unexpected demand for knowledgeable and skilled technicians who can improve energy efficiencies or provide viable alternatives to fossil fuels.

“In Canada, we are entering into an exciting new phase for renewable energy,” said Robert Kerr, president of BOSS Online, an energy management consulting firm. “Driven by environmental concerns, rising fossil fuel energy prices and the drive toward decentralized energy sources, the demand is higher than ever.”

In this perfect storm, Selkirk College has tossed out a lifeline that is certain to buoy the spirits of aspiring trades people and consumers alike. The college’s new Renewable Energy Technology program is slated to begin this fall with enrollment in its five-month Electrical Entry program, which is part of the B.C. certified electrical apprenticeship training program.

“The courses cover all the basic theory on energy, electricity, safety, and electrical code required to start a career safely and legally in the emerging field of renewable energy technology,” said Robert Macrae, School of Renewable Resources instructor at Selkirk College.

The Electrical Entry program will be delivered at the Silver King campus in Nelson, B.C., and, in anticipation of demand, instructors have installed a functioning solar photo-voltaic panel and created a number of activities to better understand micro-hydro power and other renewable energy technologies.

After completing the Electrical Entry program, students may continue their electrical apprenticeship or focus their attention more fully on the Renewable Energy Technology program, which will include a series of new courses on renewable energy systems.

These courses are currently under development; however, they will likely examine areas such as micro-hydro, biomass, geoexchange, wind, solar thermal and solar PV. There is also likely to be a course or courses that address system design, system integration and system control.

Andrew van Doorn, the president of the Canadian Solar Industries Association, said that research commissioned by his organization indicated a strong and growing demand for personnel trained to install residential solar electric and solar thermal heating systems.

“In fact,” he added, “a shortage of skilled labour may become an obstacle to growth in this sector.”

To enrich students’ understanding of renewable energy even further, students can study for up to two months a complementary aspect of the program at a technical college in Mexico, Golden West Community College in Huntington Beach California, Turtle Mountain Community College in North Dakota, or the CEGEP de la Gaspésie et des Îles in Québec.

This component of the program is the result of funding—designed to offset students' major travel expenses, tuition and room and board—from the North American Academic Mobility program.

The combination of electrical entry apprenticeship training, special applied courses in renewable energy technologies, and the opportunity to study at another location make the Selkirk College Renewable Energy Technology Program attractive and unique in Canada.

For more information, please contact Robert Macrae at Selkirk College at 250.365.1441 or rmacrae@selkirk.ca