Gateway Technical College

A college’s job is to educate and lead its students, faculty, staff and the communities it serves. Today, that includes leadership in sustainability – creating a culture toward building a greener, cleaner world.

Student preparedness

Gateway prepares students to be leaders in the new green economy through learning opportunities and hands-on training. It offers green-related training through Geoexchange Technology, Sustainable Energy Systems, Fresh Water Resources, Urban Farming and HVAC Technology programs and certificates, as well as within the curriculum of other courses.

The college always seeks ways to broaden and strengthen the green career horizon for its students, including partnering with industry to ensure training for in-demand careers. To undergird this, the college opened six new national energy systems training labs which bring cutting-edge training technology to equip Gateway graduates with the skills needed to enter an expanding job market for well-versed technicians with sustainable energy system skills.

Gateway also offers sustainability learning and leadership opportunities to students through its green scholar program, which recognizes graduates for their activities to help the environment, as well as the sustainable living club, which is focused on helping students identify and understand sustainable living opportunities in the college and community.

Climate innovation

Gateway has initiated several popular programs and projects which provide education to members of the public to help them to be more sustainable and gentle on the environment.

• In keeping with its hands-on approach to education, Gateway hosts Celebrate Earth Day, a three-county event which provides a venue for the community to learn a variety of sustainable practices as well as becoming informed about the environment and today’s green career opportunities.
• The Center for Sustainable Living on Gateway’s Kenosha Campus provides a resource to the community, a venue for discussing and learning sustainability skills for business – and life. Many seminars have been held on sustainability- related topics as well as providing space for K-12 teachers to deliver environmental education.

Creating opportunity

Gateway has invested time and effort to conserve and reduce waste. It recently initiated a green print initiative, aimed at reducing the college’s carbon footprint through streamlining the printing process and better tracking paper and energy usage. Numbers illustrate Gateway’s commitment to conservation.

• The college has installed a number of wind and solar energy systems that have produced annual savings of $2,000, reduce energy and provide hands-on learning opportunities for students in green collar careers.
• A reduction in more than 80 physical computer servers – which have been virtualized – has resulted in $52,000 in annual energy costs.
• Solar hot water heaters installed on two campuses save $550 annually as well as reduce energy consumption.
• Gateway removed 64 tons of recyclable material in the 2012-13 academic year. • The college also aggressively recycles computers, printers, monitors, fluorescent lamps and other electrical equipment.

Gateway has also partnered with area companies in this area of sustainability. Gateway’s close partnership with Snap-on Incorporated allows students to learn advanced system and green practices, including a company-sponsored “green garage” bay lab which uses alternative fuels in diesel technician training.