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Press Room | |
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Great River Energy nominated by BSC for excellence award New Orleans (April 1, 2005) Nominations for the award are from postsecondary technical institutions in letter form identifying specific contributions to technical education such as: donations of equipment, facilities, training, financial assistance, internships, apprenticeships, advisory committee members and the company’s impact on technical education. In addition to the award, the individual or company receiving this award also goes into the new NTHS Educator-Industry Hall of Fame. Each recipient will have his/her photograph, biographical information, etc. placed in a special section of the NTHS web site. This will establish a lasting tribute for outstanding individuals and industries that are making a positive difference for technical education. Great River Energy was nominated by Bismarck State College as an exemplary example of how industry partnerships improve technical education for students. Great River Energy, headquartered in Elk River, Minn. is Minnesota's second largest electric utility based on generating capacity, and the fourth largest generation and transmission cooperative in the U.S. in terms of assets. Great River Energy provides wholesale electrical service to 28 distribution cooperatives across Minnesota and part of Wisconsin. Those member cooperatives distribute electricity to approximately 580,000 homes, businesses and farms serving 1.3 million people. Great River Energy’s North Dakota coal-based generating plants—Coal Creek Station at Underwood and Stanton Station at Stanton—generate 80 percent of the electricity it distributes and employ half of Great River Energy’s employees. The plants are among the most innovative in the industry, making continuous improvements in operations and environmental management. This spirit of innovation is only possible with a well-educated, motivated workforce. Through its long association with Bismarck State College, Great River Energy provides educational experiences for students that benefit the student and the company. While the student learns what he/she needs to know to be successful, the company ensures a well-trained, viable workforce for the future. Energy production is a major industry in North Dakota and in the best tradition of community colleges, Bismarck State College has responded to the specialized training needs of the industry. Created in 1976, the Power Plant Technology Program was the first program of its type in the country, followed by the Process Plant Technology Program, created in 1981. In 1999, at the request of industry, BSC began to offer these courses on-line as well as onsite. At about the same time, BSC partnered with Great River Energy, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Honeywell to place a $1.2 million power plant simulator on campus (Great River Energy makes an annual contribution of approximately $80,000 for maintenance, warranty and service contracts for the simulator). This simulator is used to train Great River Energy employees, provide workforce training opportunities to external markets, and is used by the on-campus students in their program curriculum. The simulator has such high demand, that a second simulator will soon be placed on campus - made possible by Stanton Station, a Great River Energy power plant located in Stanton, North Dakota. Great River Energy takes great pride in conducting its business with an eye toward conserving resources through environmental stewardship, pollution prevention, waste minimization, recycling and reuse. The Coal Creek Station produces fly ash, a coal combustion byproduct that can be used to replace a portion of cement in concrete production. Making good use of this byproduct will result in substantial savings of landfill disposal costs and a reduction in greenhouse gases. In partnership with Great River Energy's Coal Creek Station, BSC is using fly ash materials to construct a new building on campus - the Career & Technology Institute (CTI). The CTI will be home to BSC's growing energy programs and Great River Energy will be donating a large portion of the fly ash for the project. The CTI will be a showcase of the newest technology for turning energy industry byproducts into marketable products. This building will be designated "green" for its environmentally-friendly construction using fly ash. Students of BSC, Bismarck-Mandan area businesses and the energy industry will see firsthand how this byproduct can be used as the primary component of the construction material FlexCrete. In the past, fly ash was simply buried in landfills; with the cutting-edge technology on display at the CTI, it's turned into high quality construction material. Without a solid relationship with Great River Energy, BSC would not have this unique opportunity. Great River Energy recognizes that every community needs a well-educated workforce. The energy industry in North Dakota depends on this human resource to continue operating. In the BSC on-line Power Plant and Process Plant Technology programs, students are required to log 80 hours of hands-on activities. Great River Energy offers this hands-on experience to BSC students through a job-shadowing program where students spend two weeks at the North Dakota plants working closely with their personnel. Under the watchful eye of a Great River Energy mentor, students complete a competency workbook during this time that is part of their course work. This is an integral part of their education and provides the students with an experience that will benefit them as they begin their own careers in the energy industry. Providing educational experiences for students benefits the student and the power plant. The student is provided with invaluable learning experiences and the plant ensures a viable workforce for the future. This is an opportunity for both arenas - the college and industry - to come together to ensure the student is learning what he/she needs to know in order to be successful and productive on the job. Great River Energy representatives actively participate on BSC advisory committees for curriculum development. There are advisory committees for instrumentation and maintenance programs, as well as power plant and process plant programs. Great River Energy’s impact on technical education can be felt when the student become the employee, supplying America’s energy. The award was accepted on behalf of Great River Energy by Henry Hanson, chair of the Board of Directors for Great River Energy since 2000. He joined the Cooperative Power Board of Directors in 1993. Also present were John Weeda and John Pelerine. The American Technical Education Association (ATEA) is the premier association for the postsecondary technical educator with emphasis on professional development. Educators and individuals from business and industry come together at conferences to discuss the latest trends and developments in technology. The organization is dedicated to excellence in the quality of postsecondary technical education with emphasis on practical teaching ideas and best practices. ATEA also recognizes outstanding performance and leadership in postsecondary technical education and provides a network for career connectivity. ATEA is an advocate for postsecondary technical education in the political arena and is a driving force behind workforce development. For more information: www.ateaonline.org The National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) honors student achievement and leadership, promotes educational excellence and enhances career opportunities for its members. NTHS has chapters in over 1500 high schools and colleges. For more information: www.nths.org For More Information Contact: | ||
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