June 30, 2008

State schools adding new wind programs

By JO DEE BLACK
Tribune Business Editor

Montana's colleges and universities have several wind technology and energy programs planned.

MSU-Great Falls College of Technology is assembling an advisory board and will hire a staff member or consultant to develop curriculum for a wind technology program.

"We hope to blend the industrial technician curriculum with the wind technician curriculum," said Joe Schaffer, acting dean of MSU-Great Falls. "We are also looking at ways to get a functioning wind turbine on campus."

One of the three bays in the college's new trades building is not dedicated to a program yet and could be used for a wind program, he said. In addition, the college has 20 acres of undeveloped land.

"What the industry is saying is that they need a trained work force to maintain the equipment, fix the blades, once the turbines are in place," Shaffer said. "We would like to establish Great Falls as the wind energy place in Montana and if we can play a role in that, we'd like to do it."

Montana Tech of the University of Montanan in Butte is planning to add a doctorate degree in sustainable engineering, which will include energy, a bachelor's degree in sustainable/green engineering and an associate degree for wind turbine technician.

The associate degree will support Fuhrlander, which plans to build a wind turbine manufacturing plant in Butte-Silver Bow.

There is an associate degree program in energy technologyplanned at UM-Missoula College of Technology.