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Need for Green
on February 2, 2009
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Yes, I'm willing to go hybrid. These cars are one of the great mixed bags of our time. Oh then consider how they create convenience and comfort and yet,...
Yes, I'm willing to go hybrid. These cars are one of the great mixed bags of our time. Oh then consider how they create convenience and comfort and yet, how they snarled traffic. There are now available hybrids: two-door, four-door, SUV (e.g. jeep liberty parts), luxury sedan.
on Jul 29, 2009
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Despite the economic downturn, Hocking College administrators hope a brand new building and a local car dealer will give a boost to a two-year degree program that focuses on energy-efficient vehicles. Dan Gearino of The Columbus Dispatch reports on the Hocking College Energy Institute, where students study renewable fuels and fuel cells.
NELSONVILLE, OHIO -- If hybrid gas-electric vehicles are to reach the mainstream, somebody is going to have to know how to fix them.
That presents a problem and a potential opportunity for auto dealers such as Chris Haydocy. He is the second-generation owner of two central Ohio dealerships, including Haydocy GMC Pontiac Buick on the West Side.
"This is not some backyard mechanic changing spark plugs," he said. "This is very technical in its training."
At a time when most car dealers are fixated on the economic downturn, Haydocy is working with Hocking College to expand a two-year degree program in renewable fuels and fuel cells.
The program, called the Hocking College Energy Institute, has been around since 2003 and soon will move into a new building in Logan that is powered by some of the energy-efficient tools that students learn about in the classrooms.
Right now, the program has about 55 students. Administrators hope that the new $3.2 million building will help attract more.
"What we're about here is hands-on learning," said Jerry Hutton, the institute's director.
Auto repair is only one of the program's areas of emphasis. Students also can study biofuels, wind power and other green technologies.
Students who complete the auto program will enter a hot job market. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the number of auto-repair jobs will rise 14 percent between 2006 and 2016, which is greater than the 10 percent growth projected for all jobs.
The number of auto technicians is expected to rise at a time when many people in the trade are nearing retirement, compounding the need for new faces.
For the complete story, visit The Columbus Dispatch.
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Comments
on Jul 29, 2009
Yes, I'm willing to go hybrid. These cars are one of the great mixed bags of our time. Oh then consider how they create convenience and comfort and yet, how they snarled traffic. There are now available hybrids: two-door, four-door, SUV (e.g. jeep liberty parts), luxury sedan.
