A World-Class Smart Grid Education and Workforce Training Center

Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) will lead an extensive and collaborative effort for establishing a World-Class Smart Grid Education and Workforce Training Center. The Center will develop and deploy smart grid technology courses and certificate programs via instructor-led and distance-learning methodologies. The Center will use the IIT's strong and already established smart grid and power engineering infrastructures to engage utilities, corporations, labor unions, Veterans, K-12 students and educators, and universities and community colleges in a collaborative initiative to train the strongest workforce in the world to meet the global challenges in smart grid, energy independence, clean environment, and sustainable energy. The proposed activities will be completed in six phases which include: Phase I Establishment of the Smart Grid Education and Workforce Training Center; Phase II Assessment of Training Needs for Smart Grid Workforce; Phase III Development of Smart Grid Workforce Training Programs; Phase IV Deployment of Smart Grid Workforce Training Programs; Phase V Development of Strategies for Sustaining the Center Operation; Phase VI Final Reporting.