The Offshore Wind Career Access Scholarship, funded by a generous grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Offshore Wind Works program, is designed to support students from diverse backgrounds in completing the UMass Offshore Wind Professional Certificate program. The UMass certificate program helps students find a trajectory towards meaningful engagement in the offshore wind industry and meets the needs of students of all experience levels, including established offshore wind (OSW) professionals, those seeking transition from an adjacent field, or students at the beginning of their careers. The program provides students with the information, confidence, and connections to enter leadership positions; helps their decision-making on influential aspects of the industry; and supports those already in leadership roles with relevant and up to the minute information on the OSW industry.
What graduates are saying about the UMass Offshore Wind Professional Certificate program
- Roxanne Neilson, a Fall 2023 graduate and Access Scholar, came to the program with decades of national experience on large construction projects. In her current roles as the Principal Investigator and Director of the US Commerce Minority Business Development Agency Manhattan Center and in her own consulting firm, she is positioned to support businesses in the OSW supply chain. She says, "I care about solving big, systemic problems and I believe small business ownership is the great equalizer. Working with small and diverse businesses, we can build creative global supply chain frameworks using proven methods, unlocking equitable economic and workforce opportunities."
- Carlos Avila, an Access Scholar and Spring 2024 graduate of the program, is now Business Development Manager at New Bedford Ocean Cluster, where he has an impact on supporting the development of offshore wind in one of the industry’s busiest construction port cities. In his previous role as Associate Director of Career and Technical Trainings at Bristol Community College, he made it his career mission to advance workforce development for the offshore wind industry.
- Toriana Richards, an Access Scholar and Spring 2024 graduate of the program and recent graduate of Colby College, is at the start of her exciting career in clean energy. Toriana has already held internships at Oceana, Equinor, and TotalEnergies. "From an amazing professor, to an engaging, knowledgeable cohort, I would recommend anyone even remotely interested in offshore wind to enroll in the offshore wind professional certificate program. Every ounce of industry knowledge helped with growing my confidence in my offshore wind internship role.”
Who is being served by the Offshore Wind Career Access Scholarship
Fall 2024 marks the fifth cohort of scholars entering the program, with 6 new students including two residents of Gateway Cities and Environmental Justice Communities. This brings the program to a total of 23 scholars since its inception in the spring of 2022. Half of the Offshore Wind Career Access Scholarship participants are women, half identify as BIPOC or an ethnic minority, and half of the scholars said they were making a sector transition. The scholarship cohort also includes significant representation of LGBTQIA, veterans, residents of Gateway Cities and Environmental Justice Communities, and unemployed or underemployed individuals. Fifteen scholars have graduated from the program to date, finding jobs with organizations such as Equinor, RWE, TotalEnergies, VHB, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Salem Alliance for the Environment (SAFE), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Apply for the Offshore Wind Career Access Scholarship
The scholarship application period for the Spring 2025 semester is currently open and will close on November 12, 2024. The Scholarship value is approximately $6,000, which covers the full cost of the three courses. Check your eligibility and apply!