Central Carolina Community College will offer North Carolina's first biofuels associate degree program starting in fall 2008.
The two-year program, Alternative Energy Technology: Biofuels, and related certificate programs will provide the students with workforce development and training.
New courses have been created for the Alternative Energy Technology: Biofuels degree curriculum, including biofuels analytics, biofuels waste management and renewable energy technology. As part of the interdisciplinary approach, students will also take courses in chemistry, electrical control systems, welding, bioprocessing practices and small business development.
"Biofuels degree graduates will qualify for numerous positions within the industry," said Andrew McMahan, the community college's biofuels coordinator. "Employment opportunities include, but are not limited to, plant technician, plant manager, lab technician, sales manager, process coordinator, or business owner."
The college's Chatham County Campus, in Pittsboro, has been offering biofuels classes for five years. Since 2004, the college has received more than $300,000 in grants to expand its biofuels curriculum.
The Community College System's BioNetwork awarded the community college two grants totaling more than $140,000. These will help fund the expansion of biofuels courses for the degree program and strengthen non-curricular biofuels education for the public.