"I really enjoyed WDI in January 2011. I took away a ton of great information, especially from the SEED pre-conference workshop, "Building a Green Workforce, Charting a Course for Community Colleges." I came back to my campus fully energized and excited about the possibilities!"

As a result, I have been utilizing theSEEDcenter.org for a ton of information this past year, which has been very helpful for planning new programs."

Jennifer True

Training Specialist

Workforce Education Resource Center

Cape Cod Community College

Welcome  

New SEED Members, December

Bluegrass Community & Technical College

Lexington, KY

Kern Community College District

Bakersfield, CA

If your college is not a member yet, join today, or refer a college to join and begin taking advantage of free resources SEED offers. 

Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC)

Explore the ELPC's helpful reports and studies for curricular development as well as relevant news on the sustainability industry for the Midwest region. 

Don't Miss... Announcements 

Find a comprehensive list of events and announcements on theseedcenter.org.

Share your thoughts on IREC Standard 14732: 2012

The second round of public comment is open on new standard for assessment of credit or non-credit energy-related certificate programs.

Closes 1/18/12

Obama Administration Announces $2 Billion in Resources to Support Job-Creating Startups and will use online platforms through the Startup America Policy Challenge to ask entrepreneurs and the broader public how to accelerate entrepreneurial innovation in clean energy. 

The Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) together launch a Local Sustainability Matching Fund to provide matching investments from national foundations. 

Applications due 3/5/12

Don't Miss... Conferences:  

AACC's Workforce Development Institute

A comprehensive annual program for community college-based workforce service providers, that aims to educate, invigorate, and motivate those who are new to workforce development as well as seasoned practitioners. 

1/25-28/2012

Miami, FL   

Strengthening Sustainability-across-the-Curriculum on Our Campuses

Faculty and interested students in the greater Spokane/Coeur D'Alene, Pullman/Moscow, and Northern Rockies regions are invited to attend.

Co-hosted by the Washington Center with Spokane Community College.  

2/10/12

Spokane, WA

3/11-13/12

Conference on Innovations in Technical Education to Advance Sustainability

Technical education practitioners and scholars convene to present cases, concepts, or ideas that advance, or have the potential to advance, sustainability.

Abstract proposals for papers, posters, and presentations due 1/15/2012.

6/14-17/2012

Alfred State College, NY

Don't Miss... Webinars:

Prepping K-12 Students for a Higher Ed. Sustainability Education

1/18/12, 12PM CST 

SEED-Sponsored Webinar,  

Creating Successful Job Placements in Green Jobs: Key Strategies Using Policy & Civic Engagement 

Join national industry and college experts as we describe curricular and campus resources available to help you successfully engage in regional energy and sustainability policy efforts.

In partnership with Johnson County Community College (KS), details to follow on theSEEDcenter.org.   

Save the date:  

2/16/12, 1PM EST

Integrating safety components into green jobs training programs.

Part of the National Wildlife Federation's "Greener Campus Conference Series"

2/28/12

Issue 12, January 11, 2012  

Another semester has begun, and colleges across the country are rolling out game-changing programs to educate the next generation of America's sustainability leaders. I hope you will join us at AACC's Workforce Development Institute (WDI) in Miami, Florida this month, where SEED will offer its second annual full-day workshop on January 25: "Building a Green Workforce, Charting a Course for Community Colleges." The workshop is an invaluable opportunity to learn from some the greenest colleges in the United States. You can find details below, I'll look forward to seeing you there.

Presidents and SEED signatories, keep your eyes out for a SEED Welcome Kit, coming to you in the mail this month. Included is your SEED membership certificate and a toolkit to help your college understand and get started using all the resources SEED has to offer.

Sincerely, 

Dr. Jerry Weber

Chair, AACC Sustainability Task Force

President, College of Lake County, IL

While there is no question that the green economy is still emerging, most agree that training for a variety of green competencies will be needed in sectors from weatherization to manufacturing and up and down supply chains.  

On what programs should colleges really be focusing?  And using which techniques?

This workshop will highlight innovative models of successful community college green programs. Participants will receive in-depth technical assistance from college leaders on some of the most common challenges including building key industry partnerships, aligning to national certifications, greening existing curricula, and tying job training to overall campus sustainability initiatives.

Presenters include: 

*  Marcy Drummond & Leticia Barajas, Los Angeles Trade Technical College

*  Roger Ebbage, Lane Community College

*  Randy Grissom, Santa Fe Community College

Moderator

*  Todd Cohen, AACC's SEED Initiative  

Learn more.

WDI SEED Pre-conference preview:

Regional Sustainability Policy,

Key Part of Workforce Development Efforts at 

Santa Fe Community College

At Santa Fe Community College (SFCC), engaging in regional clean energy-related public policy development is core to our mission and critical to ensuring our students get and succeed in jobs.

Our adjunct faculty continue to work closely with city officials and the Home Builders' Association in an effort to green the local building codes. In addition, I serve on a city/county task force that developed the state's first Renewable Energy Financing District; a policy that allows commercial property owners to secure a long-term loan to purchase and install a solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, wind, or other renewable energy system and pay the loan back through their property taxes.

In each case, our college representatives are not only shaping the state's overall approach to sustainability, but, given our involvement and access to the process, are able to rapidly refine curriculum and training programs to reflect expected market changes. In this case, our Building Construction and Environmental Technology programs have undergone recent upgrades to meet these new renewable energy, energy efficiency, and green building directives. 

Randy Grissom, SFCC; credit: CNET

As New Mexico continues to draw green technology companies SFCC will be there to ensure a skilled workforce is ready to go.

Randy Grissom

Director, SFCC's Sustainability Technology Center

Randy will be a lead trainer at AACC's WDI SEED pre-conference session on January 25. Register now. 

Alfred State College (ASC) (NY) maintains an excellent college-wide commitment to sustainability and green programming. Before adding new programs or revising existing curriculum, "green focused" modules are embedded into program courses and outcomes allowing college faculty and staff to assess need for additional offerings and/or degrees based on regional workforce needs and student interest. Read more.

By Dr. Jennifer Wimbish, President and Pam Daniel, Sustainability Project Coordinator 

Cedar Valley College (CVC) (TX), one of the seven colleges of the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD), aligned with the district strategic sustainability goal to "promote practices supporting sustainability including social, environmental and economic vitality", realizing that internal and external partnerships are critical to the advancement of the sustainability agenda. Moreover, in these tough economic times, working to achieve financial savings without impacting the quality of student learning experiences and services, the district colleges have utilized sustainability principles in facilities planning to gain cost savings while engaging students in their sustainability efforts. Read more.

Hear from:

* Judith Canales, Administrator, Rural Business & Cooperative Programs, USDA's Rural Development Agency

* Timothy Crowley, President, Northern Maine Community College 

* Robin Kohanowich, Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator, Central Carolina Community College (NC) 

Moderated by: Todd Cohen, AACC

Miss the webinar?  Want to hear it again? Discover key insights shared about rural green economy initiatives from leading experts.

Sustainability Snapshot:
Central Arizona Community College
Renewable Energy Job Training

Central Arizona College (CAC) hopes to put 400 people to work through free job training for renewable energy fields through a Community-Based Job Training Grant. Read more.

 SEED Colleges in the News

Discover details on these newsmakers and send us your clean energy and sustainability news. We'll share it with the SEED community.  

Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC) (NC) has received green certification from Sustainable Sandhills and was recognized as a Certified Green College. FTCC's certification was based on having met requirements which focused on green-focused curriculum, clubs and student organizations, and opportunities among other areas.  

The Green Construction Academy at Lake Michigan College has been recognized as a recipient of a $3,000 Greenforce Initiative Innovation Mini Grant to be used to conduct a feasibility study on rehabilitating steel shipping containers using green construction in creative ways.

Contra Costa College wins Green Curriculum Award for their training in the green building industry.  

• Learning outcomes
• Classroom and lab activities
• Syllabi
• Laboratory and training manuals
• Equipment lists
• Lesson plans
• Textbooks