CLEARFIELD – In order to provide education and training of ethanol production, the Clearfield County Career and Technology Center will partner with the Lock Haven University – Clearfield Campus this fall.
Lois Richards, executive director, said Rudy Fogelman, vice president of operations at BioEnergy International LLC, contacted her, as he would like to hire local people, when the ethanol plant opens.
“But they need people who have the training and knowledge of ethanol production,” she said.
Richards said the two institutions plan to offer four courses together, including basics of biomass, mathematics of ethanol production, chemistry of ethanol production and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). She said students could eventually have an opportunity to obtain an associate’s degree biomass or a related field at the Lock Haven – Clearfield Campus.
Joseph Dugan, Moshannon Valley School District representative, asked who would be responsible for finding instructors to teach the courses.
Richards said the responsibility would be shared between the center and BioEnergy International, LLC.
“We already have an instructor who teaches OSHA, and he is interested in the course for this program as well,” she said. “It’s something we already do at the center.”
Richards said she was uncertain who would teach the basics of biomass and believed it would require instruction from someone at the plant.
“I’m not sure of anyone who could locally,” she said.
She said the courses would initially meet two nights a week for three hours during the first year.
“We’re hoping to get it up and running by October,” Richards said. “We’re looking for the students to complete the program near the plant’s opening.”
She said the courses would not be a condition of employment but an educational source to help those locally do so.
“It will help people here get jobs,” Richards said.