Energy Innovation Center at Parkway West Career and Technology Center

Pittsburgh, PA – The Energy Innovation Center (EIC) and the Parkway West Career and Technology Center (PWCTC) intend to work collaboratively to move forward on an educational paradigm shift for real workforce development by:

  • Partnering with business and civic organizations to solve real-world problems;
  • Building environmentally friendly construction products;
  • Living and researching sustainability in food production, energy, and other areas;
  • Engaging in social ventures and entrepreneurship; and
  • Creating business incubation for high school students.

 

While there are many project-based learning initiatives that tackle real world problems, the EIC/PWCTC collaboration will tap into some innovative approaches. These include:

 

  • Students will take on the role of consultants to work on real-world problems in the service of others to help businesses and civic organizations.
  • Students will work with partner schools that will mirror the global business community. Each participating school will have a team that will share their ideas. The teams will reach a consensus and share their solutions with real-world partners.
  • Students will tap into the resources of both the Energy Innovation Center and the Parkway West Career and Technology Center. EIC will serve as a hub for ideas, activities, and resources. PWCTC will provide the pipeline of students and schools to test out ideas and propose solutions to the real-world problems posed by EIC.

 

The result will be a pipeline for innovation. The Center for Design and Innovation at PWCTC will become EIC/Parkway West, the first educational spoke that will extend the EIC’S programs to twelve suburban school districts with a student population of over 30,000.

 

According to Dr. Darby Copeland, the Executive Director of Parkway West, “PWCTC is excited to partner with the Energy Innovation Center to better prepare students with the critical thinking skills to be successful in the new economy. It is simply the right thing at the right time.”

 

Dr. Robert Meeder, the CEO and President of Pittsburgh Gateways Corporation, the group developing the Energy Innovation Center, sees a new pathway for learners, “Located within every student are the ‘seeds’ of creativity. Some students don’t realize that they possess this powerful resource. The Energy Innovation Center is honored to be a part of this collaboration. We will seek to be a catalyst to the process of discovering and applying inner talent. Discovery and use of talent requires an environment where the student sees an immediate impact and an important impact to ‘real life’ problems. Success will breed recognition. Recognition affirms their persistence. Persistence combined with innovation can change the world. We are excited to be a part of that journey for the student.”

About the Energy Innovation Center

The mission of the Energy Innovation Center is to contribute to socially responsible workforce development, foster energy and sustainable technology advancement, and assist in job creation through a commitment to diversity, innovation and comprehensive education. Designed and equipped by corporate partners, this 6.6 acre urban complex promotes energy-sector research and innovation and creates direct and deliberate bridges to job creation, entrepreneurship and urban economic revitalization. Learn more at https://eicpittsburgh.org/

About Parkway West

The mission of Parkway West Career and Technology Center (PWCTC), a student centered school, is to prepare students with skills to excel in future careers by ensuring rigorous and relevant learning, reacting to industry needs, cultivating positive relationships with partner schools, providing quality instructors, achieving stakeholder commitment and securing needed resources. Learn more at http://www.parkwaywest.org/

Questions?

Please contact:

Jessica Lee, Director of Outreach at EIC, at 412-480-6959, jlee@pghgateways.org

Darby Copeland, Executive Director of PWCTC, 412-923-1772, copeland@parkwaywest.org