“If you think about where Vermont could really grow its economic engine, it is in clean technology, green energy and all things sustainability.”Troy McBride, Greenway Institute Executive DirectorA start-up engineering college is bringing students to Vermont — and instilling the values that mak e Vermont special.Greenway Institute welcomes those interested in engineering a sustainable future to co-create a brand new higher education experience in the heart of Montpelier, Vermont.Greenway partnered with Etown College in Pennsylvania to apply for a National Science Foundation grant. The grant award allowed them to pilot an innovative program for Etown students that began in the fall of 2023 and will continue through the spring of 2025.Greenway has purchased campus buildings from the Vermont College of Fine Arts in preparation for offering programs to students who want to do engineering – not just study it. Students will gain valuable work experience while also earning college credit, and graduate with a bachelor’s degree in engineering debt-free. The plan is that, by 2025, interested students can apply as high school seniors to be Greenway founders: the first cohort of students to co-create the four-year experience In working with VEDA to secure the buildings needed, executive director Troy McBride realized there was a market need and a financing gap that a traditional lender may not typically be able or inclined to fill. “We are higher risk than a lot of traditional lenders would be interested in,” he said. VEDA financing partially guaranteed by the USDA made it possible. “Ultimately we want to be an economic development engine for Montpelier, all of Vermont, and beyond,” McBride said. “If you think about where Vermont could really grow its economic engine, it is in clean technology, green energy and all things sustainability.” Known as a green state, McBride said, the Green Mountain State is among the leading per capita employers in the clean technology space. “And they’re some of our best paying jobs. We’re looking to grow that pipeline, grow the number of companies, and grow Vermont’s reputation as the ‘green’ place that excels at cleantech and sustainability,” he said. Read the story on VTDigger here: Greenway Institute: Growing green jobs in the Green Mountain State. ...read more read less