Congressman Hoyer Leads Discussion on the Role of Community Colleges to Help "Make it in America"
New Degree Offered by the College of Southern Maryland Will Help Promote Emerging Energy Field for Students, Better Prepare Them for Employment PRINCE FREDERICK, MD – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) joined officials from the Department of Education and the Department of Labor for a roundtable discussion at the College of Southern Maryland's Prince Frederick Campus, to highlight the College's clean energy sector partnerships and workforce development opportunities. Beginning this fall, the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) will offer an associate's degree in Nuclear Engineering Technology: Instrumentation and Control (NET), to meet the area workforce needs anticipated with the construction and operation of the Calvert Cliffs 3 Nuclear Power Plant. In partnership with the Nuclear Energy Institute and Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, CSM has developed a degree program that not only meets the needs of one of the area's largest employers, but also provides high-paying career opportunities for residents of Southern Maryland. "I am pleased that the College of Southern Maryland has developed and implemented such an innovative program to prepare students to work in our vibrant and local clean energy sector," stated Rep. Hoyer. "Through the new degree program, and other non-degree opportunities, CSM is offering residents opportunities to train and retrain for positions urgently needed to facilitate the growth of Calvert Cliffs in the near future." Industries crucial to our nation's economy—such as manufacturing, information technology, healthcare, and renewable energy—continue to experience a shortfall of sufficiently trained workers. To help reverse that trend, the bipartisan SECTORS Act, recently passed by the House, addresses these issues by creating partnerships within industries. These partnerships connect local or regional industry stakeholders with businesses, employees, unions, education and training providers, and local workforce and education systems, to develop and implement plans for growing – or saving – industries that are vital to the economic success of that region, and in turn, helps students find employment upon earning their degrees in these continuing and emerging fields. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and CENG are awarding scholarships through the CSM Foundation to provide educational opportunities to academically talented students who wish to pursue careers in the nuclear energy field. Entering freshman students pursuing a degree in NET can apply for these scholarships. Scholarship recipients will receive awards of up to $5,000 per academic year that can be used to cover tuition, fees and textbooks (renewable for up to four semesters, pending budget availability), as well as mentorship by a local professional working in the nuclear energy field. Using the uniform curriculum provided by the Nuclear Energy Institute, CSM was able to quickly respond to the need for technicians at CENG. Through this partnership, students will be trained as technicians and be ready for employment upon earning their degree. As many as 3,000 to 4,000 employees are needed for the construction of new reactors at the peak construction periods and 400 to 700 dedicated long-term nuclear professionals will be needed at each plant. Click here for more information on the NET program Click here for more information on the Career Starters welding program ### |