The secret to success in the high-tech world is: math, science, more math, good work habits and math.
That’s according to experts brought together by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Hudson Valley Community College on Wed., Feb. 9 for a roundtable discussion at HVCC’s TEC-SMART facility in Malta.
At a time when New York State is seeking to attract new business to the state while growing its clean-energy economy, both NYSERDA and HVCC offer programs to prepare students for jobs in wind, solar, high-tech manufacturing and similar fields.
The six speakers at ‘the Power of Education: Fueling Tomorrow’s Economy Today’ included educators, installers and corporate managers. All agreed that New York’s clean-energy boom presented many opportunities for new, high-paying jobs. But to get those jobs, students should start working hard now, they said.
-It’s math and science. You’ve got to be in the zone,’ said Dan Lance, global training leader at GE Energy Renewables. ‘You’ve got to understand the theories.’
Speaking to more than 150 educators from around the Capital District, roundtable participants also included Adele Ferranti, Residential Energy Services program manager at NYSERDA; Jennifer Pickering, human resources business partner at GLOBALFOUNDRIES; Olya Prevo, a solar energy specialist at Alteris Renewables; Phil White, dean at HVCC’s School of Business and School of Engineering and Industrial Technologies; and Rich Porter, department chair of HVCC Building Systems Technologies.
NYSERDA and HVCC are actively working to help develop a skilled workforce for the 21st Century. NYSERDA, for instance, funds a program called Energy Smart Students that has funded energy education workshops attended by 7,900 teachers around the state – touching more than a million New York students.
HVCC has rolled out a number of associate degree courses and certification programs in areas such as solar electric, geothermal and wind technology, semiconductor manufacturing and other technology-based topics. The school is also encouraging tech students to study business, in order to help promote entrepreneurship among its graduates.
In addition, NYSERDA and HVCC have joined forces to create TEC-SMART, where the Wednesday event was held. The one-year-old facility, located at NYSERDA’s Saratoga Technology + Energy Park’ (STEP’), makes it possible for college and high-school students to learn in a simulated clean room or to study solar-panel and wind-turbine installation and repair through hands-on activities with working equipment.
Roundtable speaker Olya Prevo, who took classes to learn how to install solar equipment at HVCC, found her education there ‘incredibly valuable.’
But in order to be good candidates for these programs – and the jobs that follow – students should begin preparing in high school. Speakers agreed that students interested in these careers need to take math classes each year and keep up with science courses. In addition, students need to build good job skills ahead of their first job if they want to be competitive candidates at companies like GE or the new GLOBALFOUNDRIES facility in Malta, which expects to hire more than 1,000 people in the next few years.
Jennifer Pickering of GLOBALFOUNDRIES said the company would be hiring skilled staff with education ranging from high school to a PhD. However, all candidates can expect a rigorous application process that looks for competence in math, science, logic and other skills, plus confidence, humility, teamwork and ‘spirit to win.’ There would be an SAT-like test and group exercises where participants would be assessed on their ability to take charge and work with others, she said.
Whether at GLOBALFOUNDRIES or other tech positions, successful job candidates can expect competitive salaries of up to $25 per hour, often with significant overtime soon after being hired, said HVCC’s Rich Porter. ‘that’s pretty good for a two-year degree,’ he said.
President of Hudson Valley Community College Andrew Matonak, who made opening remarks, said it was the teachers, counselors and others present in the audience that could best begin to prepare today’s students to be successful job candidates.
‘the future of green jobs exists right here in the Capital Region,’ he said.
NYSERDA, College bring high-tech team together for roundtable discussion on teaching tomorrow’s workforce
Published: Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0000 by e.bryant