(Mesquite, TX) – Eastfield College has been awarded a JET (Jobs & Education for Texans) Equipment grant for $147,098. The grant is for additional instructional equipment for the Alternative/Sustainable Energy programs. This new program features both an associate degree and a certificate. These can be earned in either Solar Technician or Wind Turbine Technician after the foundation courses are completed. As of this August, Eastfield College became one of two community colleges in North Central Texas to offer courses in Alternative/Sustainable Energy.
This new Alternative/Sustainable Energy program will be enhanced with equipment purchased with grant money provided by the Texas Comptroller’s JET project funded by the 2009 Texas Legislature. When State Comptroller, Susan Combs, released the Texas Works report that detailed the widening gap between the skills needed by today’s business and industry and the number of graduates trained with those skills, the Legislature responded to requests for $25 million to fund the special JET program. Of that $25 million, $10 million was allocated to the Job Building Fund and has been distributed, since the Legislative approval, through three completed grant application processes, with a fourth application currently being processed.
The new Eastfield College Energy program is designed to prepare technicians for the installation, service and repair of solar photovoltaic and wind turbine equipment primarily designed for residential and small business energy conservation. The program will also be training Heating, Air Conditioning and Ventilation technicians to work with the installation, service and repair of new energy efficient solar and geothermal powered heat pump air conditioning equipment.
A part of the initial $25 million was allocated to a Career and Technical Scholarship fund. Eastfield College has participated in this scholarship program by receiving $43,177, over the past two years for career and technical program scholarships from the total $303,244 in funds granted to the Dallas County Community College District for distribution to all the seven colleges. There are currently scholarship opportunities available at Eastfield for students enrolled in identified specialized high demand career preparation programs.
For additional information about the Alternative Sustainable Energy program please contact Dr. Chuck Dale at 972-860-7670, or cdale@dcccd.edu. For additional information about the scholarship funds available through the Career and Technical Scholarship program please contact Dana Mingo at 972-860-8346, or dmingo@dcccd.edu.
Eastfield College, one of the seven Dallas County Community Colleges, is located at 3737 Motley Drive in Mesquite, just north of I-30.
