EE Global began wrapping up its final day with a final round of executive dialogue sessions, including “Educating the Next Energy Efficient Generation: How Will We Get There?” Moderated by Nicole Biggart, professor and Jerome J. and Elsie Suran Chair of Technology Management, University of California, Davis, and featuring Alan Meier, educator, University of California, Davis; Panama Bartholomy, advisor to Commissioner Douglas, California Energy Commission; Gene Rodrigues, director of customer energy efficiency & solar, Southern California Edison; Brian Dixon, student, Illinois State University; and Robert Dixon, sr. vice president & global head, efficiency and sustainability, buildings automation, Siemens Industry Inc.
Panelists discussed the unique challenges facing industry leaders as they seek to hire employees in the energy efficiency field and how educators are responding.
Under the Radar
Almost 380,000 people are employed in the energy efficiency services sector in 2010; as of 2020, that number is projected to rise to 1.3 million.
And yet, energy efficiency as a career opportunity is still extremely under the radar, said Biggart. Energy efficiency needs to infiltrate every industry and discipline, said Rodrigues, in order to become sustainable in educating those who will eventually work in the industry.
One of the main ways to do this is to target consumers. Consumers who are made knowledgeable of the savings and benefits of energy efficiency in their homes will likely make the switch, he said, citing an example of an Arizona home with a white roof in the midst of homes with black roofs. The white-roofed house would have significant air conditioning savings based on that one fact alone.
By opening consumers’ eyes to these quick fixes, the demand for energy efficiency will increase, introducing more jobs into the economy but also putting “money right into the pockets of the homeowner,” said Rodrigues.
Collaboration is Key
Assuring that there are enough energy efficiency professionals to meet industry demands will require a collaborative effort between educators, students and the business leaders who hope to hire them, said Brian.
As a student in the renewable energy program at Illinois State University, a program that began in 2008 with a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, Brian has witnessed firsthand the need for curriculum input and subject matter expertise from industry and policy makers.
Core competencies need to be clearly defined by the industry so that universities can strive to meet them, he said. “People are hungry for something concrete.”
For Robert, school education programs alone are insufficient. At Siemens, the company invests in competency, operation development and mentor programs to ensure that fresh-out-of-college new hires are immersed in energy efficiency on several different levels.
“We have an obligation to ensure we’re helping develop the next generation of people,” Robert said.
Rodrigues agreed that companies must take a more active role. If people say it’s an education problem, they automatically expect the school to fix it, he said. Instead, it is also the company’s responsibility to ensure students are aware of the careers in energy efficiency available to them and what steps they should take to pursue one.
Tags: Consumers, education, EE Global 2010, energy efficiency, Industry