By Dianne Anderson

Programmable Logic Control, electrical training, is paving the way for today’s students to get into other areas that no one thought about a decade ago, like wind turbines, which also happens to be closely related to the same technology of new high speed trains. It’s technology that can be used across multiple platforms.

Wind turbines capture the energy of the ocean wind. On a smaller scale, they’re even being set up in the backyards of family residences to help keep energy costs down.

It’s all just a speckling of Green technology and energy efficiency options that students can learn about as part of Green certification classes offered now at Long Beach City College.

Classes in new technology during the coming year will focus on Green Building, Energy and Water Efficiency Retraining.

In partnering with several local agencies, including the City of Long Beach, Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Board, Port of Long Beach, Siemens USA, and Water Replenishment District, the program offers basic level certification to 100 unemployed and dislocated workers pursuing Green construction.

Dean of work force development, Gail Schwandner, at City College said that classes are rotating up to 25 students, and trying to get laid off workers back on track with Green building and transportation.

Students will learn new technology that crosses over into several career choices.

Residential renovation is another big training for the college as part of recent funding and sustainability grants.

“We have a whole [series] of classes that build on one another, and give certification along the way,” she said.

And some of it is a bit of mix and match. A landscaper, for instance, could learn about drought-resistant plants and low water impact landscaping. There are numerous entry-level trades. Other classes look to help those already in construction and trying to work toward certifications.

As more money and grants come down, she said they are also cautious about jumping on trending bandwagons.

Solar training is one area that fell seriously shy of expectations. In time, she expects solar panels to bounce back, but as yet, it hasn't produced many jobs, and it remains costly.

“Until the rebates start coming through the next year, it isn’t cost efficient and the work is minimal,” she said. “Companies that were gearing up had to start laying off.”

After all of the training for many in the state, it was a slap in the face.

Right now, the college is partnered with the city on a recent grant to retrofit municipal buildings, and students from her program will graduate and could tap paid intern positions, and possible hires.

Between projects going on with Middle Harbor, with retrofits on municipal buildings, other airport projects, and potentially replacing Gerald Desmond Bridge, she said that Long Beach has good learning opportunities.

Many are finding their way to classes because they need the jobs and the extra training, where they are funneled either into college programs, the Workforce Board, or the Workforce Investment Board that focuses on youths.

Schwandner said the college also trains with the transits to be get ready for the new electric hybrid, as well as compressed and liquified natural gas buses.

“You have all these diesel mechanics who work the transits, but don’t know how to work on these new engines, so we’re doing training for transits on the hybrid engines,” said Schwandner, who also sits on the board for the Southern California Regional Transit Training Consortium.

Admittedly, she said that it is a dry time to get any workers placed in jobs, but she sees some promise in their construction training with the new Middle Harbor Project at the Port, the place with perhaps the   Greenest potential.

“They were our partner on this grant, and they’re going to hire our students on internships, and internships often lead to full time jobs,” she said.

For more information, see http://elect.lbcc.edu/

or http://pacificgatewayworkforce.com/