Five Questions With: Kristin Urbach

Kristin Urbach serves as executive director of the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce. Five years ago, the Chamber began developing a new program, WindWinRI, to help maximize the state’s leadership potential in the wind energy sector, beginning with fostering leadership skills at the high school level. Since that time, the program has expanded to serve adult learners and partner with industry leaders throughout Rhode Island.

PBN: Who can participate in WindWinRI, and what is the goal of the program?

URBACH: Any student who is enrolled at Charles E. Shea, North Kingstown, Block Island, and Exeter West Greenwich high schools. This year, we are reviewing additional schools to onboard as educational partners in providing our WindWinRI High School certification.

 

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PBN: Why did you decide to develop this program, and how long has it been in place?

URBACH: In 2017, the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce received a RealJobsRI planning grant to initiate, design and implement an offshore wind energy career pathway training system by establishing an ongoing talent pipeline and training certification to meet the near-term and future employment and credential requirements within the offshore wind energy industry in Rhode Island. After hosting an offshore wind energy supply chain forum that year, we realized the significance of designing and executing an offshore wind energy high school certification, as the current workforce with applicable skills was aging out.

PBN: How has WindWinRI evolved since its beginnings?

URBACH: WindWinRI fully defined the overall requirements of the Offshore Wind Energy Certificate and began beta testing the certificate with North Kingstown High School in fall of 2018. In Pawtucket, Shea High School implemented it in fall 2019. Since then, we’ve expanded the certification program at additional high schools.

PBN: What training or resources does the program provide for participants?

URBACH: In addition to engineering and environmental science courses, students participated in 80 hours of industry experience and the following: the Block Island Wind Farm Experiential learning on R.I. Fast Ferry with Narrator; the University of Rhode Island Coastal Resource Center; WindWinRI R.I. High School Wind Turbine Competition; and trainings for teachers engaged in our WindWinRI high school certification program.

PBN: What role do you think WindWinRI plays in building a long-term workforce in Rhode Island’s wind energy sector?

URBACH: Since 2017, we have established a number of public- and private-sector partners who have actively assisted us in implementing our partnership goals. The following year, we designed and executed an innovative system for capacity building that was made available to professional credentials for local students and incumbent workers for long-lasting placements within the wind energy industry as noted above.

Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.