(This story is sponsored by New York Institute of Technology – Vancouver)

Climate change requires immediate action but the Canadian workforce is currently unprepared to accomplish the Herculean effort needed to meet the challenge.

The Site C dam in northeastern British Columbia, which took decades to be approved and will take more than eight years to build, is just one example of the time required to construct a large energy infrastructure project. 

In order to restrict global warming to 1.5 ° C, all energy infrastructure around the world would need to be significantly transformed to reduce emissions by half in 10 years, and completely within 30 years. This is no small task when you consider that this reduction needs to happen at the same time as the global population is expected to grow by 30 percent, or 2.4 billion people.

To achieve only a fraction of the carbon-reduction targets will mean a massive global effort that will require countless trained workers. Even in Canada, which will likely fall short of its targets, the energy-efficiency sector is projected to grow by 8.3 percent, creating more than 36,000 jobs in 2019. And that doesn’t include the work involved in generating clean energy and establishing infrastructure for electric vehicles.

The Master of Science in Energy Management at New York Tech in Vancouver provides students with the skills required to help address energy-related challenges around the world. By learning fundamental concepts while also being exposed to the latest technologies, students discover how they can apply innovative energy management techniques and technologies to help governments and organizations meet their climate change commitments.

The program is designed to help working professionals with a background in science and engineering to transition into being part of the global climate-change-solution workforce. With courses offered in the evenings, domestic students can complete the 10 course-based master degree at their own pace.

New York Tech in Vancouver is sponsoring the upcoming Ecocity World Summit 2019 taking place at the Vancouver Convention Centre from October 7 to 11. To learn more or to hear department head Dr. Remi Charron speak about the school’s Master of Science in Energy Management program, stop by the booth at the event or visit the New York Institute of Technology - Vancouver website.