Bioenergy:

A Model Workforce Education Program

ATI has been awarded an Advanced Technological Education grant from the National Science Foundation for a program entitled “Bioenergy: A Model Workforce Education Program.” The three-year grant will provide $762,416 to develop a new associate of science degree and certificate program in bioenergy and offer professional development programs for 120 high school and college educators. ATI received one of about 75-90 Advanced Technological Education grants awarded. Nearly 250 proposals were submitted to the National Science Foundation for consideration.

A number of state and national partners will be involved in the grant activities. Partners include:

• The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center
• The OSU College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
• The BioHio Research Park
• The National Resource Center for Agriscience and Technology Education
  (AgroKnowledge)
• The quasar energy group
• Genahol
• Gerber Poultry
• The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati
• ATI’s Business Training and Educational Services unit
• Shisler Conference Center
• Area chambers of commerce
• Wayne County and Miami Valley career centers
• Green Energy Ohio
• The Ohio Department of Education

The new bioenergy programs will be offered beginning in Autumn 2012 to coincide with the conversion to semesters. The program will prepare students for employment in operations management or maintenance of bioenergy facilities.

Partial support for this work was provided by the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program under Award No. 1103995. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.