Offshore Wind Professional Certificate - Industry Partnership Program

Established in 2020 as the only graduate-level certificate in the Northeastern US focused on OSW energy professional training, the program has established an early track record of success with 125 students and graduates to date. Certificate students and graduates are now in leadership positions with Vineyard Wind, Equinor, Mayflower, Wood Thilsted, Avangrid, Siemens-Gamesa, GE, Xodus Group, and offices in state government, among others.

Our Career Access Scholarship provides a pathway for our partners to meet their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals. Our scholarship program supports students from diverse backgrounds with the expertise they need to succeed in the Certificate and in careers in offshore wind. We are excited to join our industry partners in creating a more equitable offshore wind workforce by providing pathways to lucrative and stable careers for individuals who are historically underrepresented in renewable energy.

Context

Across the US, the offshore wind industry is scrambling for talent to help meet growing Federal and State targets. Nowhere is this more pressing than in Massachusetts and the Northeast where the nation’s first commercial-scale OSW project has already broken ground.  Further, the call for diversity and equity in the workforce is growing stronger as states require comprehensive economic development packages. The UMass Clean Energy Extension (CEE) is proud to offer an Offshore Wind Professional Certificate and associated Career Access Scholarship that address both of these needs.

Many OSW workforce development programs are focused on the skilled trade jobs for construction, operations, and maintenance. However, most projects are still in the planning and development phase, within which the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) has identified 47 essential occupations, including in engineering, stakeholder engagement, permitting, financial analysis, and legal support.  

The UMass CEE offers the only graduate-level certificate in the Northeast focused on OSW that specifically prepares students to lead in the planning and development multi-disciplinary environment of OSW developers, owners, and suppliers.   

Preparing Students for Success in the Industry

UMass CEE’s Offshore Wind Professional Certificate is an online 3-course graduate-level certificate developed with funding and technical support from the MassCEC and several industry partners. The Certificate is tailored to meet the needs of (1) professionals looking to up-skill or transition from adjacent industries or who are already in the industry, and (2) current graduate students looking to begin new careers in OSW. 

The three courses in the Certificate cover different aspects of the OSW industry, including: 

• Technology, engineering, grid integration, and industry trends 
• Environmental impact, project siting, permitting, and stakeholder engagement 
• Project finance, supply chain management, marketing, business logistics, law, and policy 

Certificate graduates are prepared to lead in their respective niche, with confident and comprehensive knowledge of the industry’s current trends, technical details, and outlook. 

Diversifying the OSW Workforce 

Through a grant from the MassCEC in 2021, CEE has established the OSW Career Access Scholarship Program to support students from diverse backgrounds to succeed in the Certificate and in careers in OSW. We are excited to support the OSW industry in providing economic benefits to the communities they operate in by laying out pathways to lucrative and stable careers for individuals who are historically underrepresented in renewable energy.

Student Testimonials

The Certificate attracts mid-career professionals seeking to upskill or transition from adjacent fields to the Offshore Wind industry. Our student cohort and alumni include skilled industry leaders, policy experts, project managers, senior analysts, engineers, business owners, and industry insiders with the vital skills and expertise needed by the industry to meet its goals. 

• Diane Hoskins, Climate and Energy Campaign Director, Oceana:
  “I pursued the Offshore Wind Professional Certificate Program because I needed to rapidly gain a sophisticated understanding of the industry and speed up my personal learning curve. The curated readings, guest lecturers, and working with my fellow classmates – many of whom are also professionals from a wide range of fields – has all been extremely valuable. The multidisciplinary nature of the topics and students engaged in the program results in enriching discussions and insights. If you're interested in getting up to speed quickly, you can achieve that through this program.”

• Melanie Schultz, Program Manager, National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium:
  “The course work was crucial, but the relationships I made with my classmates were essential for people to know who I was and consider hiring me. I wasn’t 100% sure what I was going to learn when I signed up, but I ended up learning a whole lot more than I expected.”
• Anonymous
  “I would highly recommend this course and the entire certificate program to individuals who are interested in learning the A-Z of Offshore Wind development within the US and internationally. One of the best parts of the course; being able to witness and discuss developments as they are currently happening with individuals who are either directly a part of the development or are actively supporting. This is truly the time to expand your knowledge of the field and the three courses offered in the Offshore Wind Professional Certificate Program allows you to do so in a concise way.”

Learn More

Contact us at oswcertificate@umass.edu to learn more and to discuss sponsorship opportunities that meet the needs of your company.