A community college in Ohio has announced that it will offer an associate's degree in alternative energy and sustainable systems technology.

The institution recently revealed that the program will be launched in the upcoming spring semester. The school's chairman of design technology said that the degree was added because energy conservation has become more important in society, and the demand for qualified professionals in this field is continuing to grow.

The college degree program, which consists of 65 credit hours of coursework, is designed to prepare individuals for the design, installation, maintenance and repair of alternative energy systems. The courses cover a variety of subjects, including power solar thermal power, wind power, biofuels as well as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification requirements.

Students who are interested in careers in this field, but who have work or domestic commitments, may consider enrolling in a similar online associate's degree program. Many web-based college courses can be completed at home and at a flexible pace.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the number of careers in alternative energy industries has significantly increased over the last decade. For example, the agency cites data from the American Wind Energy Association, which states that the installed wind energy capacity has surged from 3,000 megawatts in 2000 to more than 35,000 megawatts in 2009.