PORT ANGELES — Peninsula College’s Automotive Technology Department will spend the fall quarter developing a program to train students how to repair environmentally friendly vehicles.
In doing so, the college will be among the first in the nation to offer such certificates, said program coordinator Mike Hansen.
The types of vehicles aren’t your father’s gasoline car: They include hybrid, electric, compressed natural gas, propane, biodiesel, flex fuel and ethanol-powered, Hansen said.
A $150,000 grant from the National Science Foundation will finance the project.
College President Tom Keegan said the new program fits into Peninsula’s efforts toward teaching “environmental sustainability and providing leadership and support for rural economic development.”
“It will also place us at the forefront in training men and women for careers in the rapidly expanding field of alternative fuel vehicles,” Keegan said.
One-year certificate
The program will be a one-year certificate that automotive students can incorporate into their education or already established mechanics can earn to supplement their talents, Hansen said.
The program will admit 15 students each year with the first classes beginning in the fall 2011 quarter, he said.
“Once we have the alternative-fuel curriculum is fully developed, it will be available to other automotive programs across the country,” Hansen said.
“We’ll be among the very first in the country to develop an alternative-fuels program.”
Gloves required
Although some parts of the vehicles are similar to traditional gas- and diesel-powered cars and trucks, some things differ vastly.
“For safety, you have to wear the same level of gloves as a lineman working on electric power lines,” he said.
“And they have to be tested regularly because even a tiny pinhole in one could allow the electric surge through.”
In addition, the college is also launching a train-the-trainer class which will occur in August.
The class, taught by Mark Quarto of American Research and Design in Michigan, will train not only Peninsula College staff how to teach the program, but will also draw professors from across the nation.
“I have people from everywhere who are coming in,” Hansen said.
Hansen said he will also be developing a curriculum for a train-the-trainer program.
Hansen is also anticipating an additional part of the program — experimenting with fuels.
He said once the program is up and running, he will test fuels such a biodiesel but also other fuels that the college will collaborate in creating with the National Science Foundation to see what is the most fuel efficient and best on the vehicles.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
