Ecotech Institute Is First Specialized College for Renewable Energy

Education Corporation of America, the owner and operator of private higher education institutions in the US, announced the launch of Ecotech Institute, which it says is the first and only college focused entirely on preparing students for renewable energy jobs.

Ecotech Institute launched its first campus in the Denver metro area, offering seven associate’s degrees and a certificate program for people seeking careers in the emerging cleantech economy. The programs include

• Electrical Engineering Technology, Associate of Applied Science
• Energy and Environmental Paralegal, Associate of Applied Science
• Energy Efficiency, Associate of Applied Science
• Environmental
  Technology, Associate of Applied Science
• Renewable Energy
  Technology, Associate of Applied Science
• Solar Energy
  Technology, Associate of Applied Science
• Sustainable Interior
  Design, Certificate Program
• Wind Energy Technology, Associate of
  Applied Science

Once its flagship Colorado campus, located in Aurora, is fully established, Ecotech said it plans to expand across the US.

Craig Mataczynski, former CEO of Colorado-based Renewable Energy Systems
Americas is a member of the Ecotech advisory board. He said the school called on industry and academic leaders to develop a curriculum that would produce professionals with the desired set of skills for the industry.

"Ecotech Institute programs connect people’s interest in hands-on work
to high-paying environmental jobs," says Michael Seifert, President of
Ecotech Institute. "This is a very exciting time for the technicians and
green-collar workers who are moving into renewable energy and
sustainable design–two sectors that are poised for explosive growth."

A study released in February by Navigant Consulting, Inc. found that the number of renewable energy jobs would more than double by 2025 if the nation adopted a plan to require 25% of its electricity from renewable sources. More than two dozen states currently have renewable portfolio standards. Colorado Governor Bill Ritter recently signed legislation that will increase Colorado’s Renewable Energy Standard to 30%.

At an event on Thursday, Ritter welcomed Ecotech to the state. "Colorado is leading America to a clean energy future by strengthening our ability to compete nationally and internationally for service and manufacturing jobs. Ecotech Institute’s Colorado campus will help prepare the workforce for those jobs," he said.

Ecotech Institute is Accredited by the Council for Independent Colleges and Schools.

Ecotech plans to renovate an existing large footprint building in Aurora into a LEED-certified training facility that will incorporate energy and resource savings throughout the building.