Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced Thursday that the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded the Oregon Institute of Technology (OIT) nearly $2.5 million in Recovery Act funds to strengthen the Bachelor of Science of Renewable Energy Engineering program, create a Master’s degree program, and hire additional staff in Klamath Falls and the Portland Metro area.
“The work being done at the Oregon Institute of Technology has helped put our state on the map as the hub of renewable energy development,” Merkley said. “By training to become the next generation of clean energy engineers, the students of OIT are leading the way in the next big job growth industry.”
“For Oregon to compete in the next generation of energy technology, it has to train a highly technical workforce that is ready for the jobs the new technologies will bring,” Wyden said. “This funding will help OIT in Klamath Falls build on its already strong engineering program – training Oregonians to compete for jobs building and operating the new energy systems that will power Oregon and the nation.”
The Recovery Act funds will go towards supporting and enhancing OIT’s Bachelor of Science of Renewable Energy Engineering program. The Renewable Energy Engineering program was created in 2005 and was the first of its kind in the nation to offer degrees in the development of renewable energy to budding engineers. OIT is a cutting-edge institution that also provides bachelor degree programs in electrical and mechanical engineering, information technology, and manufacturing.
Nearly $100 million in Recovery Act funds were awarded by the Department of Energy to programs across the country dedicated to training workers in the development of Smart Grid technologies and electric power. The programs will train approximately 30,000 Americans at community colleges, universities, utilities, and manufacturers.
La Ley Estadounidense de Recuperación y Reinversión invierte miles de millones en mejorar la infraestructura de transporte de nuestra nación, promover el desarrollo y la producción de energía limpia y reparar edificios públicos para crear o salvar empleos de inmediato. La legislación reduce los impuestos para el 95 por ciento de los trabajadores y sus familias, incluidos créditos fiscales de $400 por trabajador o $800 por familia. Finalmente, un tercer componente del proyecto de ley proporciona fondos vitales para que los estados eviten despidos estatales y garanticen la continuidad de importantes servicios de salud, educación y vivienda.
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