TEHACHAPI, Calif. -- In the United States just over 1 percent of our electricity comes from renewable energy.

President Barack Obama’s New Energy for America plan hopes to ensure that number jumps to 10 percent by 2012, and up to 25 percent by 2025.

But the question is, where will all the workers come from?

That’s where Airstreams Renewables, Inc. come in.

ARI Vice President Mike Messier said, "We realized a need, a huge need in the industry for training and the lack of.”

ARI is one of the first comprehensive wind energy training facilities in the United States and students come from all over the country to be trained and certified as wind technicians.

“This is the only one we could find and I am out of Texas," said student Ross Moore. "We were more into the oil business and this is a booming industry so we’re switching over to the wind industry.”

ARI offers a variety of course options, but if you want the full training and certification, it will take you 20 days.

Messier said, "It runs through all of the safety certifications, your OSHA 10, your first-aid CPR, all of your electrical safety, mechanical safety, metering certifications and then we go into the technical aspects of the wind industry. The core skill sets that the technicians need to safely go out and start working on this equipment.”

Future wind energy plans in the Tehachapi area will make Tehachapi the largest concentrated area of wind energy in the world.

“The demand is there and we are building and creating based on the demand we see from the industry," said Messier.

With such a demand, ARI wants to make sure there are well-trained technicians ready.

ARI is hoping to expand and build a state-of-the-art, renewable energy education center, enabling them to certify over 300 technicians every year.

The center was approved unanimously by the Kern County Planning Commission, and on April 16, they will seek final approval by the Board of Supervisors.

If approved, the center will be up and running in early 2010.

Anyone can sign up for courses at ARI.

If you would like more information, you can visit their Web site at: www.air-streams.com or call them at (661)822-3963.