Sustainable Industry Veteran Alison Wise Named Director of Career Services at Ecotech Institute
Posted: Friday, July 16, 2010
Wise to Tap her Industry Expertise to Place Graduates in Top Green Jobs
Ecotech Institute, the first and only college focused entirely on preparing America's workforce for careers in renewable energy and sustainable design, today announced that Alison Wise has been selected to become the school's first director of career services. Wise is responsible for managing the Career Services Center and helping place students in applicable jobs based on their education. She will provide counseling and vocational guidance to students and graduates, and serve as a liaison between local and national employers and Ecotech Institute.
Before joining Ecotech Institute, Alison was a senior strategic analyst at NREL (National Renewable Energy Lab) in Golden, Colorado, where she led research and analysis in renewable energy, energy policy and climate issues and carbon market development.
"We are incredibly lucky to have someone of Alison's caliber within our institution, advocating for students and illustrating job potential," said Michael Seifert, president of Ecotech Institute (www.ecotechinstitute.com). "Her connections, industry expertise and enthusiasm about the green jobs landscape will be an asset to our entire organization."
Alison Wise also serves as the Rocky Mountain Co-Chair for the Clean Economy Network (CEN), a national advocacy association for the cleantech and green business community. Her affiliation with CEN, in tandem with her knowledge of renewable energy and associated industries, will help Ecotech students find meaningful careers. Ecotech expects to educate more than 15,000 people in the next 15 years.
"My work at Ecotech allows me to utilize my years of varied experience to help people find jobs that offer promise and security," said Wise. "I am thrilled to play a part in matching graduates with employers as Ecotech sets the bar in sustainable education."
Ecotech Institute, which is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, began classes on July 7, 2010, with seven highly practical degree programs and one certificate program that provide graduates with skills that are highly valued by today's renewable energy employers, including:
- Electrical Engineering Technology, Associate of Applied Science
- Energy and Environmental Paralegal, Associate of Applied Science
- Energy Efficiency, Associate of Applied Science
- Environmental Technology, Associate of Applied Science
- Renewable Energy Technology, Associate of Applied Science
- Solar Energy Technology, Associate of Applied Science
- Sustainable Interior Design, Certificate Program
- Wind Energy Technology, Associate of Applied Science
About Ecotech Institute
Ecotech Institute is the first and only college entirely focused on preparing America's workforce for careers in renewable energy and sustainable design. Launched in April 2010 in Denver, Colorado, the college offers seven associate's degrees and a certificate program designed by experts in the industry for people seeking careers in the emerging cleantech economy. Ecotech Institute is a division of Education Corporation of America, which also owns and operates sixteen on-ground campuses of Virginia College and offers programs online, Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virginia College, and Golf Academy of America, which prepares students for careers in the golf industry. For more information about Ecotech Institute, visit http://www.ecotechinstitute.com/.