The wind energy field is blowing up, but a Maine training program is struggling to attract students

MAINE PUBLIC • September 22, 2022

When Maine's first wind energy project was built in Mars Hill more than a decade ago, it ushered in a new era for renewable energy — along with high hopes for jobs. To meet the demand for wind technicians, Northern Maine Community College launched the state's first — and still only — comprehensive training program. It started with a bang: nearly three dozen students enrolled. But in the years since, enrollment has plummeted. "If I had 50 students right now, graduating in the spring, they'd have jobs within New England," says instructor Wayne Killcollins.