Pathways to future careers in renewable energy

When was the last time you generated clean hydrogen fuel using an electrolyzer? Science classes have come a long way since the days of vinegar-and-baking-soda volcanoes. We helped create and fund training programs so new generations of students can prepare for a world fueled by cleaner, alternative sources of energy.

Making clean hydrogen is just one example of the hands-on activities that are included in the Renewable Energy Vehicle and Infrastructure Technician (REVIT) training program. This unique curriculum helps K-12 students explore the careers, challenges, and environmental and health benefits that come from transitioning diesel vehicles to zero-emission vehicles. This year, the REVIT program is expanding! A second round of vocational training grants from Ecology includes creating a new educational pathway to careers in clean hydrogen.

“Why should I care?”

When Hanna Jaramillo was in high school, she struggled to connect what she was learning in science class to her life and future goals. “Why should I care about this class?” she often thought.

Inspired by her experience as a student, Jaramillo emphasizes the connection between classroom learning and life skills in her role at Educurious, a non-profit that specializes in developing project-based curriculum. She manages the development of the REVIT curriculum, gathering continuous feedback from teachers, students, and REVIT advisory and industry experts to ensure the curriculum is relevant and helpful.

In the first exploratory course, students learn to address key questions relevant to different renewable energy careers. Questions like “How do we create an energy plan for the future?” and “What energy source used by cars is best for the environment?" prepare students by encouraging them to think outside the box.

This real-world relevance and breadth of topics convinced Centralia High School freshman Sydney Steyger to sign up for the REVIT course instead of a standard science class. “It helps you see what jobs could exist in the future and the pathways for how to get there,” said Steyger. “It also helps to have a teacher who makes it not boring.”

Teachers like Rob McKay go the extra mile to make sure material is not only engaging, but also relevant to the community. In his class, students spend time reviewing Centralia’s city plan and drafting a hypothetical pitch for their city council. “The point is to make them aware that there is a vision for their town and that they have a stake in it,” said McKay.

Collaboration helps to strengthen this work. Every other week, McKay meets with his counterpart at Centralia College to discuss how best to implement the REVIT courses. The REVIT curriculum was built by a strong network of partners, including Centralia School District, Chehalis School District, Centralia College, the Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy, Lewis County Transit, and other industry and educational partners.

From a course to a career  

During the first year, 23 students enrolled in "Engineering Sustainable Vehicles and Infrastructure," the REVIT exploratory course at Centralia High School. This year, due to increased student demand, the high school is offering three sections of the course.

The REVIT curriculum is also launching the first of three preparatory courses, creating a pathway for students to become qualified mobile hydrogen technicians. This opens doors for students whether they decide to continue their education or enter the workforce. Enrolled students simultaneously earn technical education credit, which prepares them for skill-based jobs or apprenticeships, science credits to satisfy high school state requirements, and college credits toward a college degree or certificate.

Because Centralia is set to open a hydrogen facility in the fall of 2025, hundreds of local jobs are expected to open nearby over the next decade. Having workers trained and prepared for these positions will be immensely valuable for the community. “We have a new hydrogen facility that will be operational soon. However, there is limited staff with sufficient training and experience to operate or supervise the facility,” says Joe Clark, executive director of Lewis County Transit. “You have to have the workforce development in place at the same time.”

The REVIT curriculum is just revving up. The exploratory course will launch in Chehalis High School and in other interested districts across the state next year. Instructors at Methow Valley School District are piloting modules and lessons in their classrooms. And because the entire REVIT curriculum is available for download on Sprocket, a portal with free, project-based learning courses, everyone across the nation has access to this innovative curriculum.

A new kind of grant for a new kind of workforce

Ron Stuart, a senior diesel program specialist at Ecology, saw the need for a workforce that could support zero-emission fleets and systems. That’s why Stuart created two new vocational training grants as part of Ecology’s Clean Diesel Grant Program.

The Certificate of Technical Education (CTE) grant supports the development of the REVIT curriculum. Methow Valley School District also received a CTE grant to develop a guide for rural school districts to expand CTE programming that will help prepare students for emerging careers with electric vehicles and alternative fuels.

Stuart also created the Workforce Training grants, which can be used to run and maintain electric buses. These grants train mechanics, bus drivers, and staff, and support conducting high-level planning to see what it would take for a school district to convert diesel school buses to electric.

Workforce Training grants have already helped over a dozen Washington school districts plan for school bus electrification and develop basic electric school bus operation and maintenance training programs for mechanics and other personnel. “A skilled and trained workforce is incredibly important, or else these projects die on the vine,” said Stuart.

Future rounds of the clean diesel vocational grants will be posted on the clean diesel grants web page.

Getting a head start

Creating opportunities for students and opening doors to potential future careers is at the heart of the REVIT program. For students like Riot Verley, a sophomore at Centralia High School, the REVIT course has been an eye-opener. “I honestly didn’t know anything about hydrogen energy or other renewable energy sources until I joined this class,” he said.

Mechanically minded, visual learners like senior Jack Klawitter benefit from the hands-on instruction. He loves the projects that center around emerging technologies, such as hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, electric vehicle charging infrastructures, solar power systems, and wind turbines. Because of these courses, he’s considering going into the automotive diesel program at Centralia College after completing high school.

Joe Clark, executive director of Lewis County Transit, is excited for students in the program. He sees the benefits that REVIT provides, preparing the next generation for opportunities in renewable energy work.

“The thing that’s really cool about renewable energy is that you’re at the starting line with everyone else,” he told them. “No one’s ahead of you, no one’s behind you. You’re ready to compete equally with everyone.”