High school students prepare for early careers in clean energy

As Governor Roy Cooper rounded the room, Juan Cartagena and other students at Wake STEM Early College High School assembled blades and utilized skills that can be carried into clean energy careers.

“Its important because these jobs can also provide us with high paying wages," Cartagena said. "I've never really looked at this field, but looking at it now, it seems pretty interesting.”

Offshore wind is expected to bring 14,000 jobs and up to $4.6 billion to the state’s economy by 2030.

“North Carolinians should get those jobs, so we need to be on the forefront of it,” said N.C. Governor Roy Cooper after speaking with students at the school.

There are currently three areas leased for offshore wind farms along the N.C. coast, including two about 20 miles south of Brunswick County. The project furthest along is off the Outer Banks.

Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders says workforce training is a key step in the state's clean energy transition.

“It is vitally important to our state to invest in education will open the doors and pathways to many opportunities,” Sanders said.

“I'm really proud of our public schools all across North Carolina that are providing workforce credentials that can get students ready for careers right now,” Cooper said.

More than 325,000 workforce credentials for high school students were issued last year, a record for the state.

“It's pretty fun because this is something that other schools aren’t able to have, so for me it’s a privilege,” Cartagena said.