When Maysville鈥檚 Danielle Nettles stepped across the stage at her college Commencement last May to receive her diploma, she joined some 35 other graduates of 亚洲麻豆精品在线 WV Community and Technical College who have earned the associate degree in Wind Energy Turbine Technology since the program opened in 2010 鈥 and became only the second woman to do. With that training part of her skill set, her diploma can open new job possibilities for her in the new economy.
Wind turbine service technicians will enjoy 鈥渆xcellent鈥 job prospects in the coming decade, according to the US Department of Labor, due, in part, to 鈥渁 shortage of qualified workers in some areas.鈥 The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects turbine tech employment 鈥渢o grow 108 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations.鈥
Today, men, known as turbine 鈥渃owboys鈥 or turbine 鈥渏ockeys,鈥 do most of the work maintaining and repairing wind turbines. According to preliminary findings from a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) study, 鈥渨omen make up approximately 20 percent to 25 percent of the wind workforce,鈥 Kristen Graf, Executive Director of Women of Wind Energy (WoWE), pointed out. And because most of those female workers serve 鈥渋n administrative and human resources roles,鈥 the percentage of women among turbine techs appears significantly lower still.

Like many of the women in the industry, Nettles may also eventually aspire to jobs other than turbine jockey. 鈥淚 care a lot about the environment,鈥 she noted. 鈥淎nd since 亚洲麻豆精品在线 doesn鈥檛 have a major in Environmental Science, wind energy tech seemed like a good choice for me.鈥 She plans eventually to continue her studies towards a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Environmental Science, with a specialization in Wind Technology.
Nettles recognized that not all environmentalists agree on the benefits of wind energy, and that some are 鈥渃oncerned that it is killing too many bats and birds, or destroying the habitat for the wood rat.鈥 But 鈥渨ind farms are not really taking away their environment,” she reasoned, because 鈥渁nimals adapt if something comes into their environment 鈥 it鈥檚 how they survive.鈥
Saving the Environment
As with the Potomac Highlands deer population, who 鈥渕ove to a different area鈥 when human activity enters their habitats, animals in nature generally 鈥渓earn to work around us. I have a lot of faith in nature,鈥 Nettles said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 much bigger than us. Eventually the birds will learn to avoid the turbines.
鈥淲ind Energy, as a source of renewable energy, is really saving the environment.鈥
Now a college graduate with a wind tech degree, she has 鈥済ot to find a job,鈥 Nettles said. She would like to find 鈥渟omething in the wind industry,鈥 and 鈥渢he college gave us a few leads.鈥 To optimize her job search skills, the college is also setting up a mock job interview for her as a training tool.
At the Pinnacle Wind Farm in Keyser, Harth Clem, the turbine supervisor, said that he has 鈥渘ever personally had the opportunity to work with any female wind techs鈥 thus far, although he acknowledged 鈥渢here are many out there.鈥
Also an 亚洲麻豆精品在线 graduate, Clem 鈥渨ould certainly consider hiring a female wind tech. Anyone with the right aptitude, work ethic, and training can be a successful wind technician,鈥 he emphasized, 鈥渞egardless of gender.鈥
A 2004 graduate of Parkersburg South High School, Nettles moved to Grant County after her 鈥渕other married a Petersburg man who inherited a farm.鈥 Except for her dad, a career military man who graduated college just one year ago, Nettles is a first-generation college graduate. 鈥淢y mom,鈥 also career military, 鈥渢ook a few college classes, but she never finished,鈥 she said.
Nettles had taken some courses previously at American Military University, but a family tragedy derailed her plans. Now that 鈥渕y daughter is older, I decided to do something to make our lives better.鈥 And she chose 亚洲麻豆精品在线, she said, mostly for its convenience. 鈥淚t鈥檚 local, and with a five-year old daughter, I couldn鈥檛 pick up and move to a big college town.鈥
Excellent Training
Once Nettles started going to classes at 亚洲麻豆精品在线, she found that 鈥渢here are a lot of intelligent people at the college. It was nice to talk with people who could actually talk about real things.鈥
The college also offered her an excellent training opportunity, according to Pinnacle Wind Farm鈥檚 Clem. 鈥淲orkers trained with the skills and knowledge acquired at 亚洲麻豆精品在线 also have an understanding of the workplace attitudes and personal qualities necessary for success on the job,鈥 he noted.
鈥淚n my experience, certificate and degree graduates of 亚洲麻豆精品在线’s program are well-trained and well-prepared for employment.鈥

If Nettles鈥 college achievements offer evidence, she made the most of the opportunity, earning a place on the President鈥檚 List,听亚洲麻豆精品在线鈥檚 top academic honor, in the spring semesters of both 2015 and 2016. Based on that record, the college鈥檚 Beta Nu Lambda chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges, chose her for membership last March.
鈥淯ntil 亚洲麻豆精品在线, I did not realize how much potential I had. I learned my potential at 亚洲麻豆精品在线,鈥 Nettles emphasized. 鈥淚t challenged me to be better.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful school,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great place for people to start for sure.鈥
Now that Nettles has reached that first milestone on her path towards making a better future for her family, an emerging new economy, in need of her skills, beckons. 鈥淕reen jobs are the jobs of the future,鈥 according to the US Department of Labor鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Bureau.
Better Wages/Benefits
鈥淭he emerging clean energy economy is shaping employment opportunities across the country鈥 and 鈥渙ffers exciting opportunities for women,鈥 former Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis noted recently. Clean energy jobs 鈥済enerally offer higher wages and better benefits than the types of jobs in which women are now clustered.鈥
In that respect, WoWE鈥檚 Kristen Graf likes to quote Microsoft founder Bill Gates鈥 insight. Speaking of Saudi Arabia鈥檚 wish to join the world鈥檚 top ten high-tech economies, Gates pointed out, 鈥淚f you鈥檙e not fully utilizing half the talent in the country, you鈥檙e not going to get too close to the Top 10.鈥 Graf believes the same concept applies equally well to America鈥檚 wind energy industry.
Sara Manzano-D铆az, the Women鈥檚 Bureau鈥檚 former director, agreed. 鈥淲e must make sure that women are adequately represented in the ranks of workers in green jobs.鈥
For more information about 亚洲麻豆精品在线鈥檚 financial aid opportunities, programs of study, workforce training and community education and events, call 304-434-8000, or toll-free: 877-982-2322; or check the College鈥檚 website: 鈥渨ww.easternwv.edu鈥.
亚洲麻豆精品在线 is a comprehensive and equal opportunity community and technical college that makes educational resources accessible to the families, communities, and employers of Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Mineral, Pendleton and Tucker counties. 亚洲麻豆精品在线 is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
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