The advent of scaled lithium extraction in the Imperial Valley, California has seen the formation of courses from Imperial Valley College (IVC) to train students in various plant operation functions. Two cohorts totalling 60 people were admitted in Fall 2023, 40% being women. The 1-year certificate can be completed by both in-work and full-time students.
Curriculum for the Lithium Industry Force Training (LIFT) program was specified a collaboration between IVC, Imperial County Workforce Development Board and three major employers: EnergySource Minerals (ESM), Berkshire Hathaway (BHE) Renewables, and Controlled Thermal Resources. Programs will qualify graduates for Plant Operator, Instrumentation Technician, and Chemical Lab Technician roles, or can be added to a Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) and National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) certifications.
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