Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) has been awarded a $58,989 education grant from the Iowa Alliance for Wind Innovation and Novel Development (IAWIND) to purchase wind-turbine-related equipment for its industrial electromechanical technology program.
At the completion of the program, students are trained to troubleshoot and repair industrial equipment ranging from basic mechanical equipment and electrical motor controls to the more complex systems used in manufacturing environments.
The grant to purchase the equipment falls under the IAWIND funding set aside for training and educational use by Iowa community colleges and Regent Universities.
In 2009, IAWIND received a $3 million, three-year overall grant from the Iowa Power Fund, a part of the Iowa Office of Energy Independence. The $3 million grant was approved to implement research, training and education needs expressed by numerous wind energy companies. Some elements of the grant have an industry match, while all of the elements will serve to further stimulate wind industry development in Iowa. The DMACC grant is tied to funding available to accelerate the development and coordination of IAWIND educational programs.
SOURCE: Iowa Alliance for Wind Innovation and Novel Development
