The Offshore Wind Industry is new to Massachusetts, and so that means we need to build a new workforce. This is a rare opportunity to start from scratch. An opportunity to build a diverse and equitable workforce, where traditionally marginalized populations do not get left out. This is an opportunity to start young; to start filling the minds of the youth with the fuel they need to become part of this budding workforce. If we don’t approach this opportunity with intention, the fear is that we repeat the sins of the past; we leave behind youth and people of color.
STEAM the Streets received an Offshore Wind Works grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to apply its proven model of education and outreach to this opportunity.
With the funds, STEAM the Streets aims to help build a diverse pipeline through producing unique, high quality educational videos, content, and performances that will boost the interest, engagement and awareness of offshore wind career opportunities. Utilizing STEAM the Streets’ approach of creating relatable, authentic, and culturally relevant media, the content will be designed to inspire underrepresented students to start their career journey in offshore wind.
The content will be made available to local education institutions as a curriculum resource and motivational tool for their students. The project’s educational partner, Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology advised on video scripts, and has committed to utilizing the videos within their Renewable Energy program, as well as for student recruitment. The content will also live inside the STEAM the Streets App as an Offshore Wind career module, highlighting the many career opportunities in the industry, and offering free resources for students to build relevant skills on their career journeys.
In addition, these multimedia materials will be deployed in STEAM the Streets school assembly shows, will be available to be integrated into middle School, high School and post-secondary educational institutions’ curricula, and marketed through social media posts, websites, career fairs, and engagement events.
The content will be made available to local education institutions as a curriculum resource and motivational tool for their students. The project’s educational partner, Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology advised on video scripts, and has committed to utilizing the videos within their Renewable Energy program, as well as for student recruitment. The content will also live inside the STEAM the Streets App as an Offshore Wind career module, highlighting the many career opportunities in the industry, and offering free resources for students to build relevant skills on their career journeys.
In addition, these multimedia materials will be deployed in STEAM the Streets school assembly shows, will be available to be integrated into middle School, high School and post-secondary educational institutions’ curricula, and marketed through social media posts, websites, career fairs, and engagement events.
STEAM the Streets is in the post production phase of three videos that will be resources for building this new and diverse pipeline. The three videos are of varying lengths, and each have their own unique purpose.
The first video is a 2 minute sizzle reel entitled “Why Offshore Wind?” and will be a bite-sized video that can be utilized by educators, industry partners, and the community alike to get folks excited about being a part of the industry. The second is a 5 minute career profile featuring Cassie Brown, a project engineer for Vineyard Wind. This story shows what the industry is like from a humanistic perspective, and shares Cassie’s career path. The third video is a 10 minute deep dive into the industry, hosted by STEAM the Streets’ co-founder and educator Angel Diaz aka DJ Anghelli. He takes the audience on a master class through the three phases of wind farm development, and provides a road map to start on a wind-related career path.
The videos, career module for the STEAM the Streets’ App, and wind school assembly show are slated to be released in January, 2025. For more information, reach out to Director Ben Gilbarg at Ben@steamthestreets.org
