Education and Training Biofuels Energy Renewable LEED
Open Letter to website visitors
This is Mr. Brian Oram. I am the current manager of the Carbonwaters.org blog and the Keystone Clean Water Team. As part of our effort, we have been attempting to provide fact based information on environmental issues, energy issues and other matters using a fair, honesty, and balanced approach. In many ways, I believe we have accomplished this goal. Since I have over 30 years experience in training professionals (trades and licensed professionals), we have attempted to provide information and links to solid educational opportunities. In many cases, we have search for solid training programs or assisted training programs. This webpage is a link to some of the recent education programs that we have found on the topics of energy, renewable energy, and related topics. In order to help and support the 501 c3, we are informing you that for some of these links we receive a referral fee or commission. We are attempting to make the organization sustainable and this is one of the branches we are attempting to create:
Courses
The Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) “Green Associate course is designed to educate candidates on the cutting edge green building and sustainable design practices, and enables participants to designate that expertise with an internationally recognized professional credential. Developed and backed by the U.S. Green Building Council, the LEED Green Associate and credential has gained national and global notoriety. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system is one of the most widely used standards for green building and design. The Tier 1: LEED Green Associate training course and exam covers general information on green building practices for residential and commercial projects, and prepares individuals to support other professionals working on projects seeking LEED certification. This course will also prepare you for the LEED Green Associate Credential from USGBC (US Green Building Council). This is an internationally recognized certification that designates expertise in green building and design principles. The exam fee is included with the course.”
Solar Power Professional -“Get the renewable energy training you need as you learn the basics of solar systems, their benefits, and their many applications. Examine the history of photovoltaic solar power, and gain a sense for where the PV industry is headed. We’ll start with basic safety, including how to avoid potential accidents and how to create a safe work environment as well as the use of protective equipment. You’ll master the fundamentals of electricity and solar energy, including how to calculate simple circuit values and predict solar position using solar path diagrams. Upon completion of this course, you’ll have a thorough understanding of PV applications, working safety as it pertains to this field, basic electricity, and PV module fundamentals.”
Biofuel Production – “At the present time, hundreds of facilities worldwide are producing biofuels. Over the next few decades many advances will be made in this field, and hundreds of new facilities will be built to produce this type of fuel. This opens a new field for potential workers. For decades to come, biofuels will be produced and consumed in the United States, creating an ongoing demand for biofuel production workers. The Biofuel Production Operations Online Training course will give you the education you need to begin an exciting career in biofuel production. As a biofuel production operator, your job will be to ensure the quality and purity of the biofuel your plant produces. This involves inspecting and repairing equipment, operating computer systems, and handling lab equipment. This online course will ensure you have the skills you need to handle these tasks.”
Others
Natural Gas Plant Operations – “Natural gas plant operators monitor and control the systems and equipment that take gas from its natural state and convert it into a usable product. Your job is to ensure that the gas produced is free of impurities. The purified gas is then separated into products such as ethane, propane, butane, and methane. You’ll also be responsible for the flow of this processed gas into the pipelines that carry it to the various industries and homes that use it for fuel. In addition, you’ll make gas flow changes to the supply system to keep pace with customer demands. Natural gas plant operators earn above-average wages and enjoy good job security and potential to advance into supervisory or management positions. This is a user-friendly course, designed for people who have no prior exposure to technical aspects of hydrocarbons, energy, or industrial processes. No prior science or math education is necessary; the course includes all of the necessary basic science and technology elements.”
Power Plant Operations – “If you want a career with high pay and a stable work environment, our Power Plant Operations Online Training course will get you on the right track. Now is an excellent time to start an exciting career as a power plant operator—there are thousands of power plants in the United States alone, and a large portion of the workforce is retiring, creating open power plant operator jobs for many years to come. Power plant operator training will prepare you to fill the ongoing need for entry-level positions in this industry. We offer a unique, user-friendly course designed for people who have minimal knowledge of the industry, math, physics, or chemistry. The necessary science concepts are built into the course modules. Very few institutions provide power plant operator training and certification programs for entry-level operators, so your certificate from this course will give you an edge over others in the field. After you complete this course, you will be fluent in how to operate a power plant with safety as the prime consideration. You’ll be able to make adjustments to keep system process variables, such as flows, temperatures, and pressures, within acceptable ranges; detect both potential and actual problems and analyze operational trends as well as take corrective actions. You’ll also learn important strategies to sustain communication with other operators, as well as maintenance and management.”
Using Plants to Clean Things Up – “In the United States, there are thousands of chemical manufacturing facilities, run by chemical plant operators. These operators are highly paid and enjoy a stable work environment, and there is an ongoing need for entry-level personnel. Currently a large portion of the workforce is retiring, creating a critical shortage of technical workers for many years to come. This course can help you get started. There are very few institutions that provide training for entry-level operators. This Chemical Plant Operations Online Training course is unique and user friendly, designed for people who have minimal knowledge of the industry or math, physics, or chemistry. The necessary science concepts are built into the course modules. Get started in the field by taking the Chemical Plant Operations Online Training course!”
Oil Refinery Operations – “The United States is home to thousands of oil refineries, all of which need experts to run their operations. Oil refinery operators are highly paid and enjoy a stable work environment, and there’s an ongoing need for entry-level personnel. Sounds great, right? The Oil Refinery Operations Online Training course will teach you everything you need to know to enter the energy industry as an oil refinery operator. Our oil refinery training is unique and user-friendly, designed for people who have minimal knowledge of the industry. The energy industry is ever-changing, encompassing everything from power plant operations, to petrochemicals like oil and natural gas, to renewable energy sources. Taking an oil refinery operations course offers you a path to a growing sector of the field. A large portion of the workforce is retiring, creating a critical shortage of technical workers for many years to come—which is great for entry-level workers.
Currently very few institutions provide entry-level training and courses in oil refinery operation. Generally, oil refinery operators enter the workforce in entry-level positions and work their way up, sometimes to senior management positions. In their day-to-day tasks, oil refinery operators have the responsibility to make sure unit and process systems function properly. They consider personnel safety the primary objective and ensure production processes are operating safely. They continually monitor instrumentation and the operation of equipment and make adjustments to keep system process variables within acceptable ranges. Oil refinery operators also detect potential and actual problems and take corrective action to prevent the interruption of system operations. You will learn how to perform all these oil refinery processes in our course, and more.”
Other courses in the Trades Programs
We are hoping to add more course on Geothermal Energy, Energy Efficiency, Energy Audit, and much more. If you have a course, you would like to see link to this webpage: Please leave a message in the comment section. If the comment section is closed email bfenviro @ ptd.net.
Thanks for understanding
Brian Oram
Workforce Development Leads to Environmental Protection My Story
After working in the field of environmental education, conservation, and management as an educator and a licensed professional, it is my professional opinion that the long-term solution to effective environmental protection comes through not just awareness programs, but workforce development programs. When individuals and families are supported by stable growing and expanding careers we have the opportunity and luxury of getting them to take a moment to think about how their choices impacts the community, other citizens, and the environment. After 30+ years of attending workshops, fairs, and other educational events, I have found that the bigger barrier to positive change does not come through “progress”, “fear-mongering”, or “shame”, but through environmental education and workforce development opportunities. At one event, there was a group of kids at a presentation that were not paying attention. Rather than asking them to stop, I said the following “Boy that Presenter seems lame”, they all said “Yeah”, I then said it is rather strange, because I pay him over $ 50,000 per year, but he knows his stuff. The kids were shocked that this guy that was dressed in jeans, ratty hair, and to be honest looked like a “nerd” made that kind of money. I had 75% of the kids, stop talking and pay attention for the rest of the presentation. In fact, three of the kids asked questions, and 1 stayed to here the presentation again.
Note: You do not have to change all, but if you can get their attention and change one – this is a Win!.
As a kid, I played in mine spoils, acid mine drainage, and when the streets would flood, I got my inter-tube. Then I did not know, the flooding in the streets meant the stormwater and sewage water piping were backing up and creating a pond of contaminated water in the streets. Also, my parents did not know this either, but I had fun. Now I did grow up in a mining town and I did graduate high school with a 5 grade reading level, it was not the “Sky is Falling”, “Global Cooling”, or “Fears of Over-Population”, that sparked by interest in the environment is was the Boy Scouts, mentoring with individuals that loved their job, career, and were passionate about their communities. Through mentoring and Scouting, I learn a respect for the environment and my fellow man, self reliance, and skills in leadership and planning and earned the honor of being an Eagle Scout.
Note: Yes, I graduate from high school with a 5th grade level of reading and writing and I found this out in college. I was diagnosed with dyslexia in college. It was hard getting a BS and MS degree and then working in a professional that requires me to write reports, but I did it. Why? Because I found my weaknesses and did not avoid them, but took them head on and started pushing the boulders up and over the hill.
We are in a world today that appears to be in a bit of a mess, but it has been worse. From my experience, the following has been some of the biggest weaknesses on the education side of the issue. In my classes, I use a method called POT. POT is good. In the case of career training and workforce development, this means prepare (start pushing the boulder up hill), observe (your situation/weaknesses), and translate (put into action). We need to stop blaming others and begin to work together, this means solid self reflection and being willing to offer a “hand-up” not a “hand-out”. I never learned to fish, but I did learn how to take care of myself, family, and community in other ways. If a short stocky kid can push boulders up and over the hill, so can anyone else.
Some of my first steps – Prepare (I have provided links to training programs that seem to be on-point).
Reading / Writing Issues
Reading/ Writing – If you have a problem reading and writing – get help. When I was 16 yrs old there was no online education that was visual now there are a lot of programs. I might recommend the following: Ready, Set, Read! – This is a class for teachers that helps teach others to read. This will help identify issues and challenges.
Reading – If you need to speed up your reading, Try Merrill Ream Speed Reading.
Start a Introduction to Journaling.
Reading/Writing/and Speaking – Start a Blogging and Podcasting for Beginners.
Math
Math Skills- Try the Math Refresher Course.
Resume and Job Search
Try the Resume Writing Workshop.
Job Search – Try Twelve Steps to a Successful Job Search.
Read
In this climate, I would suggest reading some of the classics like 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Hitchhikers Guide the Galaxy, Gulliver’s Travels, and any book written by Mark Levin, Bill O’Reilly, or Mark Twain (others). If you have a reading problem like I did, I would start with comic books, reading out loud, and any book about the Knights of the Round Table. This is where I started when I was in college. If you have a reading problem, you may want to look into public speaking and debate. You may find this is a strength and now there are lots of audio books.
Note: I did not recommend any inspirational authors – inspiration comes from faith, yourself, and family. Start looking in the mirror and take a hard look at yourself. You can do it.
If you are past this issue and need training in a workforce development career – I would recommend trying 360 Training.
I know this is a bit off topic – but please bare with me. The next article will focus on Preparing Study Habits/Learning/ Supporting Yourself and than an introduction to Observe. Observe will be more about learning about YOU/Yourself.
Safe Journey!
Second Thought – A book I would recommend reading.
Job VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT Executive Director, Pike County Conservation District, Pike County, Pennsylvania
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PIKE COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT
Pike County Conservation District (PCCD) is accepting applications for a full-time Executive Director (ED). Challenging position responsible for management of the overall administration and supervision of Conservation District programs, personnel, and operations implementing the Conservation District Mission within Pike County. Must be a leader, a service-oriented individual with high ethical standards and excellent interpersonal, communication and organizational skills. Must have a knowledge of current natural resource conservation issues, practices and programs. ED supervises a staff of 7. Pike County position with a competitive salary and benefit package. Pike County is an EOE. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree in natural resource management, environmental science or related field with demonstrated experience of at least two (2) years (including supervisory experience), or any equivalent combination of experience. Must possess and maintain a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license. Clear Pennsylvania State Police criminal background check, all Child Abuse History Clearances and FBI fingerprint clearance are required. Applicants must submit: 1) Letter of Interest addressed to Conservation District Selection Committee and 2) A Detailed Resume including references. Send to ATTENTION OF: Selection Committee, Pike County Conservation District, 556 Route 402, Hawley, PA 18428. Must be received by PCCD no later than January 5, 2018 closing date for applications. Hard copy submissions preferred. Email submissions send only to scorrigan@pikepa.org. Please read minimum qualifications thoroughly and demonstrate you meet requirements in the materials you submit.
THANK YOU
Sally Corrigan, Executive Director
Pike County Conservation District
scorrigan@pikepa.org
570-226-8220 (t) Ext. 1338
www.pikeconservation.org
Training Courses
Professional Management Courses including Project and Non-profit Management
Water Resource Training Courses – Wetlands, Smart Development, Sustainability, Stream Restoration, and More.