Wind Turbines - Growing Industry That Will Provide Stable Middle-Class Jobs

[LAOIL + 33]

Community colleges and high schools in Texas are starting programs to train students for these-in-demand occupations, what might be the nation’s first wind turbine technician program for high school students. Satrting next year, students will be able to take coursework that will give a jump on an associate degree in wind  which they can finish at Texas State Technical College in Harlingen. The students can even earn a certificate through the classes and go straight to work on the turbines. With overtime, workers can earn as much as $70,000, even $90,000, after a couple of years. The best part about wind jobs is that they’re inherently rural, meaning they provide stable middle-class jobs in places that often have few other industries.

[TraderTate + 186]

Great launchpad for talking about our great failure to provide any technical education. Education has gotten too snooty. It's either academic university or lowly working class aspirations and nothing in between--that's the stigma. Not nearly enough specialized technical education going on. Academic studies aren't for everyone; nor is that what the country needs. Hopefully we'll see more programs like this centered around very specific industry segments in the future. I know Texas was one of the first (only?) to do these specialized high schools ... not just technical colleges. It should start well before that. 

[Adam Varga + 123]

Jobs in clean energy are growing faster than any other sector in the U.S. This is a great opportunity for kids. First schooling and after that they get a job right away in that profession. But one state is not enough. Every other state should follow their example. 

[Stormysaga + 62]

Solar is still in the first place with pays close to $40,000 a year for panel installer and all you need is a high school diploma. In wind industry the position of service technician requires technical school training but better salaries with $52,000 on average. 

[Vlad Kovalenko + 115]

This is going to be a great push up for rural areas. Luckily for them, most of wind projects are installed in those areas which have mostly lost manufacturing jobs.