Students at a couple of two year college now have "alternatives" namely wind, biorefinery and thermal. Mid State Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids and Lakeshore Technical College near Sheboygan this fall are offering associates degree programs in alternative energy.
State Technical College Executive Assistant Morna Foy says the curricula is a complete integration of standard technical fields such as plumbing and construction with a strong understanding of technology for use in alternative energy.
Mid-State Technical College's renewable resource programs are completely booked. Both colleges believe their program capacity will not keep with the high demand for enrollment in the next decade.
Foy says new students consist of many people who've been laid off the manufacturing sector. Other two year colleges including Waukesha and Milwaukee are expressing interest in similar degrees.
