Introducing Stacks+Joules
Stacks+Joules is meeting the needs of workforce demand and talent.
We are so excited to tell you about our newest partner: Stacks+Joules. Stacks+Joules is a community-focused nonprofit organization that’s making a real, tangible impact on young adults in our industry. Stacks+Joules has created a project-based learning program for high school students that takes a practical approach to teaching computer programming and wireless network management. The program emphasizes the importance of learning specialized skills to maximize career opportunities after high school.
The program targets students with underappreciated talent and untapped potential, exposing them to nontraditional subject matter that wouldn’t typically be found in a classroom setting. Its curriculum consists of hands-on activities, where students learn about aspects of technology, like writing code to synchronize wireless LED bulbs to music. In addition, working professionals are brought in to share their life stories and teach a technical, real-world lesson (such as a tour of an air handling unit on campus) – which provides students with a different perspective and appreciation of knowledge application.
By connecting with prominent industry professionals and corporations, students absorb invaluable insights and training, while companies are able to foster relationships with potential future talent.
Beginnings
Mike Conway, the Founder of Stacks+Joules, believed there was a disconnect between coursework and real-world application. A math teacher himself, Conway started Stacks+Joules to bridge this gap by providing students with rigorous technical training and a direct avenue to job opportunities within the field of Building Automation Systems (BAS).
Despite being a fast-growing sector with a high demand for skilled technicians, BAS does not have a large enough talent pool to meet demand. Stacks+Joules sought to take advantage of this workforce shortage.
Conway and his team built the Stacks+Joules program by meeting with a group of industry advisors and assessing the needs of the BAS industry in order to determine the critical professional skills that entry-level workers require. By doing so, they were able to construct a system that enables students to learn from hands-on training, while networking with industry professionals in the process.
This not only enriches the lives of the students but also supplies the BAS industry with high in-demand laborers.
A Budding Partnership
Albireo was founded on the principle that collaborative partnerships are the basis of success and continual growth. As an experienced provider of BAS solutions, we recognized the mutually-beneficial aspects of partnering with the Stack+Joules program.
We think it’s a perfect match.
Our service portfolio includes energy efficiency, demand response, and smart building solutions including building automation, systems integration, metering and lighting. These services provide recent graduates with ample opportunities to apply, develop, and refine their technical skills – while also exposing them to a wide-array of facilities such as data centers, labs, schools, federal government buildings, military installations, healthcare institutions, and commercial properties.
Graduates of our program will witness their work impact on our clients firsthand, improving energy efficiency, optimizing safety and reducing operational costs.
We recognize that talent exists everywhere – and the Stacks+Joules program is an innovative approach to building the workforce we need to advance as a company. They’re meeting the needs of workforce demand and talent.
To date, the partnership has already proven to be fruitful, as two recent Stacks+Joules graduates joined our organization as Building Automation Field Interns. Over their 90-day internship, the new interns will be focusing on developing the necessary skills to become Systems Specialists on the Solutions team.
We’re excited to work with Stacks+Joules and serve as an industry resource and opportunity provider. We embrace the program’s core values and emphasis on innovation, and we’re thrilled to further cultivate this relationship.
