PPM Energy Funds Wind Tech Training to Support Industry Growth

    To create new educational opportunities for the next generation of wind power technicians in this fast-growing industry, PPM Energy today announced $250,000 in support for innovative college training programs in Oregon and Iowa. PPM Energy announced a three-year funding commitment for the Columbia Gorge Community College Renewable Energy Technician training program in Oregon and dedicated the new PPM Energy classroom at Iowa Lakes Community College Wind Energy and Turbine Technology program in Iowa. Last April, PPM Energy announced a gift of $100,000 for a new classroom at the Iowa Lakes Estherville campus, the oldest wind technician training program in the country. Business leaders, faculty and students gathered at the campus today to celebrate the gift with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.  "PPM staff have worked with the Iowa Lakes program since its inception in 2004 on the school's advisory committee. When we learned that the school was turning away qualified applicants every year due to lack of classroom space, we wanted to help," said Kevin Devlin, vice president of wind operations for PPM Energy. "With PPM's aggressive growth plans -- and each new wind farm needing skilled, safety-conscious workers -- strong training programs are essential to meeting our future staffing needs." "Last spring, PPM Energy announced a generous gift of $100,000 to the program which was a significant contribution toward a classroom being named after them. This gift helped propel us to be able to provide additional classroom space for this growing program," said Dr. Harold Prior, president of Iowa Lakes Community College. In addition, PPM Energy committed $50,000 per year for three years to Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles, Oregon, to assist in the development of its renewable energy training program, the first of its kind on the West Coast. The funds will be used primarily for faculty support. The college announced the gift locally and invited media to tour the campus earlier this week. "Developing a program that offers the first and only wind technician training of its kind on the West Coast continues to be an exciting venture, and its success is due to our dedicated faculty and industry partners," said Dr. Susan Wolff, chief academic officer, Columbia Gorge Community College. "We are honored to be recognized by PPM Energy, the first renewable energy company to provide monetary support to the college to grow the program and help us admit more students."