MONROE, Mich. – Monroe County Community College announced tonight that FirstEnergy’s Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station – located 35 miles east of Toledo, Ohio, in Oak Harbor, Ohio – has officially become a new industry partner for the college’s associate degree in nuclear engineering technology program.
DTE Energy, operator of the Fermi 2 Nuclear Power Plant in Newport, is the college’s primary industry partner.
The announcement was made at special signing ceremony prior to a regular monthly meeting of MCCC’s Board of Trustees.
DTE Energy, MCCC and Davis-Besse will jointly participate in the Nuclear Energy Institute’s (NEI) Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Program, which promotes the development of future U.S. nuclear power industry employees by providing an accredited, two-year education program that meets industry-wide learning objectives. MCCC is one of only two colleges in Michigan and 32 in the U.S. that are members of NEI.
As part of this program, MCCC and DTE Energy align the college’s nuclear energy technology curriculum with the initial training programs offered by DTE Energy and accredited by the National Nuclear Accrediting Board. Through the partnership announced tonight, Davis-Besse will also share in advising on the curriculum.
According to Parmeshwar (Peter) Coomar, dean of the Applied Science and Engineering Division at MCCC, key benefits of the new partnership with Davis-Besse include support through additional internships and job opportunities and expansion of the college’s involvement in the nuclear industry.
“This partnership with Davis-Besse will mean additional employment opportunities for both our graduates and future student entrants into the program,” Coomar said. “This agreement is good for MCCC, FirstEnergy and DTE Energy, good for the nuclear industry and good for jobs.”
“Over the next decade, nearly half of the nuclear industry’s workforce will be eligible to retire, and training the next generation of nuclear professionals is a top priority for the industry,” said Davis-Besse Site Vice President Brian Boles. “Monroe County Community College’s nuclear engineering technology program helps students gain a quality education while also developing a good sense of their chosen profession and valuable work experience. We are honored to partner with MCCC on this important endeavor.”
Coomar added that MCCC’s nuclear engineering technology program uses a learning approach that emphasizes both theory and hands-on skills necessary to function in the technical environment of the nuclear industry. It stresses effective oral and written communication, as well as related mathematics, science and technical skills. The program prepares students to become highly-adaptable energy technicians skilled in the generation, transmission and distribution of power and provides continuing education and training for the upgrading of worker skills and certification.
Nuclear engineering technology graduates are trained to work at any domestic nuclear power plant and the 2014 median annual salary nationwide was $74,690, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are 99 operating nuclear power plants in the U.S.
About Monroe County Community College
Founded in 1964, Monroe County Community College is a public, two-year institution supported by tax monies from Monroe County, educational funds from the State of Michigan and student tuition.
The college’s mission is to enrich and transform lives by providing opportunities and excellence in higher education. The Main Campus is located at 1555 South Raisinville Road, Monroe, Mich., 48161, with easy access to Toledo and Detroit. The Whitman Center is located at 7777 Lewis Ave., Temperance, Mich., 48182, near the Ohio-Michigan Border. Detailed information about MCCC is available at www.monroeccc.edu.
About Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station
The 908-megawatt Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station began operation as Ohio’s first nuclear power plant in 1977. In December 2015, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved a 20-year license extension for the plant, extending operations through 2037. Davis-Besse is among Ottawa County’s largest employers, providing more than 700 full-time jobs.
About FirstEnergy
FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company’s transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, while its generation subsidiaries control nearly 17,000 megawatts of capacity from a diversified mix of scrubbed coal, non-emitting nuclear, natural gas, hydro and other renewables. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com or on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.