College's wind program draws interest

TOPEKA - A wind energy program soon to be offered at Cloud County Community College is drawing interest from national and international wind energy companies eyeing the Kansas workforce, the school's president said Wednesday.

It also has drawn inquiries from north-central Kansas farmers interested in potential jobs at future wind farms, college trustee Sandy Kinser said before a meeting of the state Board of Regents in Topeka.

The community college, a two-year school with campuses in Cloud and Geary counties, just landed a $100,000 wind energy grant from the regents board, which oversees public higher education.

The money will assist in development of a turbine technology program in partnership with Manhattan Technical College. Coursework, set to begin this fall, will teach students how to construct, operate, maintain and repair wind turbines.

New Cloud County Community College President Richard Underbakke helped launch a similar endeavor at an Iowa college before moving to Concordia.

The new program is expected to be the first in the state and among a handful nationally.

College officials, who want to build a wind turbine on campus, said as wind projects move from development into construction and operation, the demand for skilled employees rapidly will increase.

"This is going to hugely fill a niche," Underbakke said. "Kansas is potentially one of the fastest growing states in wind energy in the nation right now. Projections are for 11,000 potential jobs at wind farms in the next five years."

Such jobs in the north-central region should pay between $30,000 and $35,000, he said.

"I think it's something exciting, especially to people interested in agriculture who want to stay in the area."

At least eight companies have inquired about the program, Underbakke said. Kansas currently has two large wind farms operated by power companies and another is under construction.

A study released by the Kansas Energy Council in January reported 20 proposed projects statewide. Cloud County officials are exploring the possibility for a farm there.

Kinser said local residents are asking her when the program will begin.

"This should interest both traditional and non-traditional students," she said. "I'm hearing from farmers' wives who see it as a potential for extra income for their husbands."

By Sarah Kessinger
Harris News Service
kessinger@dailynews.net