DANVILLE, Illinois (AP) — On the south side of Chicago, students learn to work on Rivian electric pickup trucks and SUVs through a new technician program at Olive-Harvey College.
About 150 miles (240 kilometers) south, students at Danville Area Community College in Illinois are taught to troubleshoot massive wind turbines dozens of meters tall, along with climbing and safety.
In Albuquerque, students train on wiring and fixing solar panel installations through Central New Mexico Community College’s electrical trades courses.
And in Boston, students study how to toughen homes and buildings against extreme temperatures at Roxbury Community College’s Center for Smart Building Technology. The focus is on automating and modernizing heating and air conditioning systems so they contribute less to climate change.
All are examples of how students across the United States look to community colleges for up-to-date training for the increasing number of jobs in climate solutions — from electrification, to wind and solar, to energy efficiency, weatherization, protecting water and farmland and more.