The Renewable Energy Technology (RET) program at Columbia Gorge Community College is a nationally-recognized program. The RET program prepares students to work in technical fields of renewable energy, and the curriculum was designed in collaboration with industry partners. The RET program features state-of-the-art training facilities with LabVolt equipment and a Highly Automated Systems 200 unit. Our campus is located in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge region – a gateway to renewable energy in the Northwest because of an abundance of wind and sun.

Students in the RET program may receive a 9-month certificate or a 2-year Associates of Applied Science degree. Both programs have coursework in electrical engineering, mechanics, and electronics. The 9-month certificate program prepares students for employment in renewable energy with a focus on the wind industry. The 2-year degree program prepares students for employment in a broad range of industries including wind-generation, hydro-generation, solar-generation, automated manufacturing, and engineering. The 9-month certificate program received the American Wind Energy Association Seal of Approval for 2011. The 2-year degree program has an articulation agreement with the 4-year Electrical Engineering program at Oregon Institute of Technology.