Environmental Resources Programs at College of the Siskiyous in Weed, California

As most regular readers of the Northern California Hiking Trails blog know, I live in Siskiyou County near Mount Shasta, one of the major hiking heavens of the western United States.

There’s an excellent opportunity for outdoors lovers who want to learn an environmentally friendly profession to move to this area and get a specific associate degree in environmental resources at College of the Siskiyous in the town of Weed. (I know, it’s a town name with a lot of baggage.)

Classes start September 8, 2009, so if you know anybody who wants to do this now, they need to act now. (They can likely enter the program at a later date, though.)

Here’s a press release with all the details of the College of the Siskiyous Environmental Resources Programs:

JOBS FOR YOUR FUTURE: COS TO OFFER THREE NEW PROGRAMS IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES THIS FALL Weed / COS Are you looking for the hands-on skills and work experience you need for jobs that could keep you in the area? Do you like mechanical and electrical systems? Have you always wanted to work outdoors? Do green career trends and entrepreneurial niches intrigue you? College of the Siskiyous’ three new Environmental Resources degree and certificate programs; Environmental Resources Technology, Sustainable Communities, and Power Generation Technology have officially been approved by the California Community College Chancellor’s office. Course offerings in all three programs will start this fall.

“We are all excited about the possibilities of the three new environmental programs at College of the Siskiyous. The job opportunities are great and the resources in Siskiyou County are perfect to make this program successful. COS will be a leader in the state and the region with the start-up of these new programs,” explained Barry Russell, Vice President of Instruction.

Jeff Cummings, Dean of Career and Technical Education expressed his enthusiasm about the new programs. “I am proud and excited that we will be moving forward with offering courses in these three exciting and timely career track programs this fall,” he said. He also recognized the strong commitment from the many industry partners and advisory committee members who provided direction and input into the development of the programs, “We couldn’t have done it with out them. The strong tie to industry is essential to making these programs successful in Siskiyou County.” he said.

The Environmental Resources – Environmental Resources Technology (ERRT) program will train students to be an Environmental Resources Technician. They will be trained to work and navigate in a wildland environment, year-round, while collecting natural resource information for management and/or research purposes. Fall course offerings include: Introduction to Environmental Resources, Forest Ecology, Introduction to Field Studies and Dendrology.

The Environmental Resources – Sustainable Communities (ERSC) program offers a practical, integrated and interdisciplinary examination of the interactions between humans and natural ecosystems with an emphasis on solutions and entrepreneurship. The program offers clusters in energy efficiency, agriculture and natural resources, entrepreneurship/sustainable business, outdoor recreation, and university transfer. Career options with this program are wide-ranging from being an energy auditor to a farmer. Fall course offerings include: Introduction to Sustainable Communities, Sustainable Communities Skills Lab, Building Performance and Efficiency, Outdoor Adventure Leadership Skills Lab, Greening Your World Skills Lab, and Environmental History.

The Environmental Resources – Power Generation Technology (ERPG) program is geared towards students interested in mechanical and electrical systems, and will prepare students for entry-level positions in the steam and electrical power generation and distribution industry. Fall course offerings include: Power Plant Primer, Operations and Maintenance Techniques, Operations and Maintenance Safety, and Work Experience.

The development of the three new programs was made possible through a grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. The College conducted surveys, and consulted with community experts and industry partners to develop programs to train students for a wide variety of employment opportunities.