On January 11, 2008, Green Collar Vets conducted an area reconnaissance in Sweetwater, Texas and vicinity in order to determine the status of green collar job opportunities for veterans.  The mission focused on conditions in the local wind energy industry.

    Wind power generation centers around the wind turbine – basically, a huge airplane on a stick.  A wind turbine catches the wind with enormous blades and converts the movement, through a generator, into electricity.  Arranged in large groups, called wind farms, turbines generate large amounts of clean, renewable, utility-scale energy.
      Texas is the nation’s largest wind energy producing state – already producing twice as much as the next largest producer, California.  Increasingly, the place to get in on the ground floor of this rapidly expanding and cutting edge industry is West Texas.       Sweetwater, Texas sits at the epicenter of Texas’ wind energy expansion.  Job opportunities abound for service members with technical backgrounds such as diesel and generator mechanics, electronics, avionics, and hydraulics.  These skills could easily translate into a job as a wind energy technician – the person responsible for installing, inspecting, troubleshooting, and repairing wind turbines.  Many wind energy companies with local operations are looking for qualified individuals, and seem particularly veteran-friendly.       Veterans without a technical background, or those looking to get a leg up on the competition, should consider Texas State Technical College (TSTC) West Texas, located in Sweetwater.  TSTC West Texas offers an Associate’s Degree in Wind Energy Technology which is unlikely to be found anywhere else.  The degree, designed with the input of wind industry managers, prepares a student for employment as a wind energy technician.  These skills could then lead to employment in the wind industry anywhere in the world.       The demand for technical workers in West Texas is unlikely to slow anytime soon.  The labor pool in the local area, including the larger city of Abilene, has provided as many qualified workers as it can.  In fact, the movement of people into the wind energy industry has opened many positions in traditional fields such as construction and manufacturing.  The strong demand for workers coupled with wind energy expansion plans in Nolan County from 3,000 to over 6,000 wind turbines – equals outstanding job opportunities for veterans.