Older Students Want Training for New Wind Energy Jobs

• Joe Wertz
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  Joe Wertz was a reporter and managing editor for StateImpact Oklahoma from 2011-2019. He reported on energy and environment issues for national NPR audiences and other national outlets. He previously worked as a managing editor, assistant editor and staff reporter at several major Oklahoma newspapers and studied journalism at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Joe Wertz / NPR StateImpact

Wind technology students Kevin Bradshaw and Jessie Bean prepare to climb Canadian Valley Technology Center's 13-story training tower while their instructor, Randy Tharp, observes.

Wind energy is a burgeoning industry in Oklahoma, and students are packing classrooms to train on the latest in turbine technology.

Last month, we reported on one program at Canadian Valley Technology Center in El Reno, which is training students to become turbine maintenance technicians.

The students we profiled were young, but officials told The Oklahoman that most students were working adults who wanted to change careers.

Interest is growing at other schools, and enrollment at wind technology programs around the state has grown, the paper reports.

The increased enrollment parallels new wind farm construction in Oklahoma, the paper reports.

As the industry has grown, the college’s wind energy program has grown along with it, OSU-OKC instructor Roger Smith told The Oklahoman. In the early days, the program had to cancel class sections because of lack of interest. Today, the program is adding extra sections to keep up with demand, he said.