NJIT Partners with NJEDA to Offer Certificates in Offshore Wind Work

New Jersey Institute of Technology and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on a $399,000 project to create two offshore wind graduate certificates. 

The funding approved in the MOU will establish two graduate certificates in wind power system operation and maintenance and wind power economics and management, bolstering offshore wind workforce training opportunities for college students.

Associate Professor Philip Pong and Sotirios Ziavras, vice provost for graduate studies and dean of the graduate faculty, will lead the Professional Offshore Wind Energy Certificates Program.

“The goal of the two graduate certificates is to train a world-class workforce for the New Jersey offshore wind industry that will enhance the industry’s competitiveness compared to other parts of the world, eventually making it world-leading,” said Pong. 

Courses will be offered online and in-person. Students can take courses and complete the certificates remotely. Twenty-four scholarships ($3,000 each) and 24 assistantships ($4,000 each) will be awarded primarily to students from minority and underrepresented communities to encourage and support their participation in the offshore wind workforce training. 

In addition to the financial support, the assistantships will provide support through experiential learning. NJIT will identify projects with the industry for students to work on with $4,000 assistantships. The industry may decide to supplement the financial support. If the project progress is satisfactory, the project may extend into another semester, allowing a student to receive assistantships twice at most. 

These graduate certificates will also have synergism with other offshore wind initiatives at NJIT. “NJIT has been organizing the two-day offshore wind bootcamp training for students and professionals who are interested to transition into the offshore wind industry,” said Pong. “It’s under planning that the two-day offshore wind bootcamp training can count as one credit for one of the graduate certificates.”

Pong believes this opportunity will help NJIT deepen its connection with surrounding communities and neighborhoods by offering a bundle that includes wind technologies, power industries, workforce training and research. 

“NJIT is a polytechnic university, and we have the mission to nurture talents to serve the industrial needs and fuel the economy of the United States, as well as providing a career path and entrepreneurship opportunities to our students,” he added. “The funding from NJEDA will enable NJIT to carry out all these missions and work along with the state government as a partner to strength the state's clean energy economy.” 

Later this year, NJIT will organize its first ever New Jersey Offshore Wind Technology Conference and Exhibition. This conference will integrate a career exhibition, in which the students will be provided with direct access to industry professionals and employment opportunities.

“It will be the first time we organize an offshore wind conference at the state level,” said Pong. “Although there are offshore wind conferences such as ACP (American Clean Power Association) and IPF (International Offshore Wind Partnering Forum), we see the need of having its own conference for New Jersey to cater for its industry, government, universities and communities. 

“We aim to make this an annual event to provide a platform for the stakeholders to network and students to seek career opportunities in offshore wind.”