Web Resources Connect Students to Energy Career Paths

With “boomers” retiring at a very fast pace, quality wage employment jobs in new and traditional sectors of the energy world are booming. The diversity of opportunity is extraordinary: linemen, natural resource managers, engineers, customer service representatives, plant operators, and more.

Career focuses can vary from being technical, analytic, physical, or written. Some require being in the field while others are more office-centric. And there is just as much educational diversity needed, including certifications, two year degrees, apprenticeship programs, and four-year degrees.

Connecting students to these careers, however, is a challenge. And experts from both the academic and human resource world agree that thinking about options early is the best strategy a student can take.

This issue of FWEE Press focuses on three web resources teachers, parents and students can use to explore these possibilities.

Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy
Click here for the Interactive SMART Grid Career Map offered by The Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy (PNCECE), a Centralia College Partnership that includes a consortium of Northwest utilities, universities, government agencies and organized labor.

Environmental Science
Click here to explore a myriad of options in environmental science.

Careers in Environmental Science are so varied that that a person could be doing desk work, field work, or some combination thereof. The energy sector is fertile ground for those interested in environmental science careers. Often there is a blend of STEM, physical, and communication skills needed.

The Center for Energy Workforce Development
Click here for career pathways in specific energy industries (e.g.—natural gas) and trades (e.g.—linemen).