Decorah native is getting a first-hand look at the growth of the wind energy industry

2012 NICC graduate Ben Weiss, who grew up on a farm north of Decorah, is enjoying his new career in wind energy at a time when interest in renewable energy in the Midwest is growing.  Weiss was one of the college's first graduating class members of the Wind Turbine Repair Technician program at the Calmar campus

Weiss said that the approach NICC takes with instruction, training and career preparation made a great impact on his professional success. An ACCIONA Windpower operation based in Montana hired Weiss immediately following his NICC graduation.  Weiss is now working as an erection and commissioning technician for ACCIONA.  His wide-ranging duties include inspecting turbines when they are delivered to the plant, running various tests on components and assisting any subcontractors with technical aspects of turbines.

Weiss plans to work for six months to a year on a major ACCIONA project in Montana.  After that, he plans to work in the Midwest.

"I think the best part about NICC is that you get to be taught by people who not only know how to teach the necessary material, but have done the job that we are being trained to do," said Weiss.

Iowa's wind energy industry is growing dramatically.  The state is a wind energy leader in the U.S., according to a 2011 report by iowawindenergy.org.  Iowa has the highest percentage of electrical consumption produced from wind energy at 17 to 20 percent and is second only to Texas in installed capacity of 3,670 megawatts.