(Washington,
D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Labor,
Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Subcommittee,
announced that she has included $1 million to help Washington state students
meet the demand of the growing clean energy industry in the Fiscal Year 2011
LHHS Appropriations bill. This investment will allow Central Washington
University to launch the state’s first bachelor’s degree program in Renewable
Energy and Sustainable Technology (REST).
“In
the 21st century economy, it is critical that we continue investing in local
projects that train our workforce, teach our students, and boost our economy,” said Senator Murray. “This
program offers students a unique education opportunity to obtain the skills
they need to land family-wage jobs in the emerging clean energy industry. It
will also create jobs in Central Washington and encourage clean energy
companies to move to Washington to take advantage of our highly-skilled
workers.”
The REST
program will expand a specialization in green jobs within the construction
management degree program into a bachelor’s degree in clean energy. This
program will prepare students to enter the clean energy workforce.
“The
Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology degree program will prepare our
students for twenty-first energy jobs in clean energy industries. For the
nation, this program will provide the needed work force to help reduce our
dependence on foreign oil and increase our national security,” said William Bender, Professor
at Central Washington University.
Funding
will help purchase and install specialized equipment that is essential to an
education in clean energy technology. It will also allow faculty to develop and
finalize a curriculum for the new degree program.
Having
passed the LHHS subcommittee, the bill will now go to the full Senate
Appropriations Committee before going to the full Senate for consideration.
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