Clean Energy Center earns prestigious IREC accreditation for redesigned Home Energy Professional training suite
Published 12.16.2021
News
Clean Energy
Workforce Development
All four of the Home Energy Professional training programs developed and administered by Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Clean Energy Center have been accredited by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, making it one of 12 centers in the nation – and the only center in Pennsylvania – to earn that distinction.
IREC President/CEO Larry Sherwood confirmed that the center’s Home Energy Professional training programs for Energy Auditor, Retrofit Installer, Crew Leader and Quality Control Inspector have been endorsed for a second time, extending accreditation through 2026.
“The center once again exceeded the high bar set by IREC’s accreditation process,” remarked Shannon Munro, Penn College’s vice president for workforce development. “It is a testament to the center’s commitment to excellence and innovative approach to ensure that clean-energy workers are trained to the highest standards, while rising to meet the ever-evolving needs of our industry partners.”
Of particular note, center director Alison A. Diehl said, is the effective use of hybrid instruction, already underway when the pandemic prompted widespread reconfiguration of course delivery across the educational landscape. In 2018, prior to COVID-19, the center transformed its content to approximately 60% online and 40% hands-on, providing a more streamlined and flexible experience that benefits trainees and employers alike.
“In some cases, a blended delivery model allowed us to reduce the time it takes a worker to complete training by half,” Diehl explained. “This not only benefits workers, but also employers facing critical workforce gaps due to an unprecedented skilled labor shortage. We adeptly responded to industry’s need to quickly onboard new employees with little to no experience in the trades.”
“It’s critical that we attract and retain more professionals in the energy efficiency workforce,” she added, noting that the latest course enhancements have made training more appealing to a new generation of learners, professionals looking to switch careers and to those with obligations that limit or prevent travel to a fully in-person training site. “It has been exciting to see it all come together.”
For more information on the Clean Energy Center at Penn College, email or call 570-327-4768. For more information about Workforce Development at Penn College, email or call 570-327-4775.
For more about the college, a national leader in applied technology education and workforce development, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.
IREC President/CEO Larry Sherwood confirmed that the center’s Home Energy Professional training programs for Energy Auditor, Retrofit Installer, Crew Leader and Quality Control Inspector have been endorsed for a second time, extending accreditation through 2026.
“The center once again exceeded the high bar set by IREC’s accreditation process,” remarked Shannon Munro, Penn College’s vice president for workforce development. “It is a testament to the center’s commitment to excellence and innovative approach to ensure that clean-energy workers are trained to the highest standards, while rising to meet the ever-evolving needs of our industry partners.”Of particular note, center director Alison A. Diehl said, is the effective use of hybrid instruction, already underway when the pandemic prompted widespread reconfiguration of course delivery across the educational landscape. In 2018, prior to COVID-19, the center transformed its content to approximately 60% online and 40% hands-on, providing a more streamlined and flexible experience that benefits trainees and employers alike.
“In some cases, a blended delivery model allowed us to reduce the time it takes a worker to complete training by half,” Diehl explained. “This not only benefits workers, but also employers facing critical workforce gaps due to an unprecedented skilled labor shortage. We adeptly responded to industry’s need to quickly onboard new employees with little to no experience in the trades.”
“It’s critical that we attract and retain more professionals in the energy efficiency workforce,” she added, noting that the latest course enhancements have made training more appealing to a new generation of learners, professionals looking to switch careers and to those with obligations that limit or prevent travel to a fully in-person training site. “It has been exciting to see it all come together.”
For more information on the Clean Energy Center at Penn College, email or call 570-327-4768. For more information about Workforce Development at Penn College, email or call 570-327-4775.
For more about the college, a national leader in applied technology education and workforce development, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.