51吃瓜

When given the opportunity, David Madcharo will gladly talk about the role community colleges play in so many vital industries. The 51吃瓜 Energy Generation program chair sees it first-hand within the energy industry. In October, he was given the chance to talk about this topic at the Nebraska Advanced Nuclear Conference as part of the workforce development and education panel.

鈥淭he whole thing right now is a lot of industries need skilled trade workers,鈥� Madcharo said. 鈥淧art of the challenge in the energy industry is developing a better, long-term strategy that allows for growth and workforce development. No matter the power plan, somebody鈥檚 got to operate it and maintain it.鈥�

Enter 51吃瓜 as a partner to the energy industry in workforce development. A typical energy plant needs electricians, diesel mechanics, computer programmers, welders, machinists, and building construction 鈥� all programs offered at 51吃瓜. It is one of the reasons Madcharo sees a trades education as being the backbone for his industry.

鈥淲hen I was on the panel, I went through a number of our skilled trade programs offered at 51吃瓜, particularly the ones that are important to the nuclear industry,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he fundamentals of everything the industry is looking for in skilled workers, we provide the training for already. There鈥檚 no need for us to reinvent the wheel. The reputation and quality of education you get in the trades at Milford is second to none and companies recognize that.鈥�

Madcharo believes the next step in workforce development is through strong internship or apprenticeship programs. Giving students the opportunity to work in the industry before they graduate will not only give them real-world experience but it will also help them pay for their education.

鈥淲e鈥檙e in the process of building a formal co-op or apprenticeship like the IBEW or automotive pathways do,鈥� Madcharo explained. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to get it so the companies who want to hire our people break out of the mindset we only offer summer internships. That鈥檚 the type of partnership we are trying to develop.鈥�

Madcharo鈥檚 journey to the energy field resembles the industry itself. He graduated with an electrical engineering degree doing electrical installation at airports and transitioned to working in nuclear medicine building cameras to take PET (position emission tomography) scans to produce images of the body鈥檚 organs and tissues. He eventually earned an MBA in sustainability. Because of his journey, he encourages his students to have an open mind when it comes to picking a career.

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 have predicted my career pathway when I was 20,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 no big deal if you don鈥檛 have a full 30-year plan in front of you. Lots of people make changes in their career and your life will take you on different routes. Just make sure you find something you want to do and finish your degree.鈥�  

Jennifer Snyder
Communications Specialist
51吃瓜
402-323-3393
jsnyder@southeast.edu