The National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC), a program of West Virginia University, unveiled its newest learning aid at the recent Monongalia County Career Fair, allowing students a glimpse of modern technology transportation options.
The Alternative Energy Learning Center will be used as part of the NAFTC’s alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle training and outreach and education activities nationwide.
“With the mission to educate the nation on alternative fuel vehicles the NAFTC is always looking for ways to provide educational opportunities about alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles to numerous audiences—in this case to approximately 800 eighth grade students,” said Bill Davis, NAFTC acting director.
The mobile learning center is equipped with numerous interactive opportunities from iPads and televisions to hands-on opportunities with electric drive vehicle motors, compressed natural gas tanks, or the internal working components of HEVTE (Hybrid Electric Vehicle Training Educator), a cutaway Toyota Prius.
The NAFTC was founded in 1992 to help promote clean energy options in transportation through educational programs. This award-winning program remains, to this day, the only nationwide alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicle training organization in the United States, and its training network stretches from Maine to California. Each National Training Center provides Training with Impact through its experienced instructors and real-world shop facilities. The program’s nationwide impact is tremendous. The NAFTC has conducted more than 1,850 courses on alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles, resulting in more than 35,000 trained technicians. The organization has also conducted more than 1,775 workshops and education/awareness events on alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles, with more than 875,000 attendees. The NAFTC has won numerous awards for its work including multiple National Training in Excellence Awards from the Automotive Training Manager’s Council and Marcom Awards for marketing and outreach and education activities and materials.
To find out more about the NAFTC and its numerous training programs, visit www.naftc.wvu.edu.
