Energy, Environment, and Utilities Sector Summary

Purpose

The Energy, Environment, and Utilities (EEU) Industry Sector program is designed to identify and develop model curriculum standards, instructional resources, and assessment strategies for teachers, students, guidance personnel, curriculum planners, and administrators. Leadership in the EEU Sector is fostered through partnerships with a variety of energy, environment, and utilities industry partners and key representatives from post-secondary education systems. The program identifies tools, resources, strategies, activities, and standards to assure that students are offered relevant and challenging academic and career-related experiences. Through the on-going implementation of high quality, standards-based programs, students may access a range of sequential courses of study developing skills in the Environmental Resources, Energy and Power Technology, and Telecommunications Pathways, as well as focused in-depth study of specific EEU Sector careers. 

Programs/Services

The California Department of Education assigned the EEU Sector Lead and participating industry partners support implementation of a quality standards-based program of instruction for the EEU Industry Sector.

The specific services and program objectives include the following:

• Technical assistance and monitoring of the work of industry sector grant recipients to ensure compliance to federal laws and regulations. 
• Creation of instructional resources such as Career Path Guides, Model Curriculum Standards, and care curriculum elements.
• The establishment of statewide EEU working groups and advisory committees.
• Review of regional and statewide data collected from the EEU project leads.
• Promotion of the integration of academic disciplines and industry-based standards into new and existing EEU curriculum.
• Technical assistance and support for the EEU project leads for project operation, funding, and leadership direction.
• Promotion of the development of sector Web sites and related links.
• Promotion of the development and implementation of the EEU staff development activities through resources in the form of grants for teacher professional development programs and services.
• Promotion of the inclusion and expansion of the EEU activities in SkillsUSA California.
• Coordination of efforts of secondary and post-secondary education providers to ensure student success.

Outcomes

Local school-based EEU instructional programs are a part of the overall educational experience in high school. Currently, there are at least 2,385 EEU courses available statewide. In addition to the variety of training options provided by California Community Colleges and Regional Occupational Programs, private postsecondary institutions, the University of California, and California State University systems currently list over 105 EEU courses statewide that satisfy a-g requirements for university admission.

Raising the quality of discipline-specific instruction by including, where possible, the Common Core and academic subjects' content standards and the EEU Content Standards with the recently adopted state Career Technical Education EEU Standards results in the following:

• Providing new and existing resources, strategies, and activities, including standards-aligned curricula, to ensure that students are offered relevant and challenging academic and career-related experiences.
• Providing students with an awareness of the many career opportunities available within the sector.
• Establishing learning opportunities and partnerships that increase career guidance and educational relevance leading to improved student involvement, achievement, and preparation for continued education and careers in the EEU industry sector.
• Integrating energy, environment, and utilities curriculum that includes industry-based standards.
• Identifying and supporting the development of the EEU digital resources and related links to careers and educational opportunities within the energy, environment, utilities, and telecommunication industries.

Funding

The EEU courses and broad-based programs are supported by a variety of state, federal, and private funding streams, including California Partnership Academy Grants, Specialized Secondary Programs Grants, and Carl D. Perkins Grant funds. Certain EEU pathway programs are also supported by the Career Pathways Trust Grants as part of local or regional collaborations. Additional funds for leadership development in this industry sector are also provided through federal Carl D. Perkins funds. The EEU Industry Sector Lead in the Career Technical Education Leadership and Instructional Support Office is assigned to oversee and monitor projects and activities supporting the EEU programs.

Students Served

The EEU Industry Sector curriculum programs serve over 47,000 students statewide in grades seven through adult. The EEU programs exist in a variety of delivery models, including District CTE, Linked Learning, California Partnership Academies, Regional Occupational Programs, and articulated Community College programs.

Contact Information

The Energy, Environment, and Utilities Industry Sector Program is administered by:

Career Technical Education Leadership Office
Career and College Transition Division
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 4202
Sacramento, CA 95814