KYTX (TYLER JUNIOR COLLEGE) - A collaboration between Tyler Junior College and Texas energy producer Luminant has drawn the attention of a national educational and policy studies organization.
The Aspen Institute of Washington, D.C., has announced that Luminant Power Track, a two-year scholarship program designed to produce graduates for power plant jobs in Texas, has been selected as a Model for Success in the Skills for America's Future program.
Skills for America's Future works to help reduce the nation's skills gap by strengthening and increasing the number of partnerships between employers and community colleges, helping create a talent pipeline to ensure businesses remain competitive.
The Luminant Power Track program was developed as a means to replenish the technical leadership at Luminant power plants. It resulted in the creation of a two-year associate degree program in power plant technology at Tyler Junior College.
The degree plan was approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Students began studying in the program in the fall of 2011.
Students selected for the Luminant Power Track program receive a Luminant-funded scholarship covering books and tuition. The scholarships are administered through the TJC Foundation.
In addition to scholarships, participating students are eligible to receive paid internships at a Luminant power plant and the opportunity to forge a relationship with Luminant that could grow into a full-time job following successful completion of the program.
Power Track students major in power plant technology at TJC, where they learn technical and safety aspects of plant operations, responsibilities of plant operators, and mechanical and chemical technology needed for working in related industrial operations.
"Since the program launched, we've seen remarkable interest and we're already starting to see tremendous value in the program," said Dr. Dirk Hughes, Luminant Academy director. "Our goal is not only to help these students gain the skills they need for a lifetime, but to provide them the opportunity to become our next generation of power plant leadership."
Karen Elzey, director of Skills for America's Future, said the program is "pleased to have Luminant Academy and Tyler Junior College as new members of our growing network. We know that the energy industry has a particularly urgent need to train its next generation of workers. Luminant and TJC have designed an effective and cost-efficient partnership that serves both the workers and the company well. We look forward to working with Luminant and TJC and helping them share their story with other employers and other community colleges who seek to train a skills ready workforce for their companies and regions."
TJC and Luminant opened the Luminant Academy – a state-of-the-art training facility, on the TJC West campus – in 2007. Since that time, the Luminant Academy has been providing technical, leadership and management training to Luminant employees working in energy generation, mining and construction across Texas.
The Power Track Program provides a new pipeline of trained graduates for Luminant's future employment considerations – graduates of TJC's power plant technology program. Graduates are also qualified to seek jobs with other energy producing firms.
"The power plant technology program provides another high-demand field for our students to consider and it is one with promising career options," said TJC President Dr. Mike Metke.
