Ecotech Institute Rolls Out New Programs and Policies to Benefit Active Military and Veterans

DENVER, CO, October 30, 2010 (Press-News.org) Ecotech Institute, the first and only college focused entirely on preparing America's workforce for careers in renewable energy and sustainable design, today announced new school policies that will give active military, veterans and family members greater access to the school's green collar job training and development programs.

Ecotech Institute, which is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, launched in April 2010 with seven highly practical degree programs and one certificate program that provide graduates with skills that are valued by today's renewable energy employers. Nearly ten percent of Ecotech students are active military or veterans.

"We have staff, board members and students from military backgrounds and our curriculum is well-designed for people who bring military experience to the table," says Michael Seifert, president of Ecotech Institute. "As current and ex-military members seek employment in this tough economy, cleantech careers offer excellent opportunities for job stability and pride."

Ecotech Institute offers the following military student policies:

• Transfer of training and experience. Students may transfer up to 75 percent of the required credits for their program of study. This includes military training and/or experience, CLEP general examinations with a passing score of 50, CLEP subject examinations, DANTES subject standardized tests, College Board advanced placement exams, and professional certification exams.

• Student Deployment Policy. Military students called to active duty or deployed from their home station can withdraw from the currently enrolled term and receive a refund of tuition charges/payments related to the term.

• Waived application fees. All application and re-application fees are waived for active duty or honorably discharged veterans, spouses, or qualified dependents.

• Waived Tuition. Subject to availability, active duty or veteran students and their spouses or qualified dependents enrolling at Ecotech Institute may be eligible for one of the following tuition waivers.

o Patriot's Service Waiver: Active duty service members who receive tuition assistance may receive an institutional tuition waiver up to the difference between the maximum tuition assistance rate published by the Military Service and the current published tuition for their enrolled program at Ecotech Institute for up to 8 credit hours per term for undergraduate programs or 4 credit hours per term for graduate programs. Active duty spouses may be eligible for a waiver of up to 15 percent of tuition and fees.

o Post 9/11 GI Bill Waiver Program: Veterans may receive an institutional tuition waiver for their enrolled program at Ecotech Institute in states where Ecotech Institute participates in the Yellow Ribbon program. Post 9/11 veterans not eligible for the Yellow Ribbon program may be eligible for up to a 15 percent tuition waiver during their course of study/program at Ecotech Institute.

o Armed Forces Recognition Waiver: All honorably discharged service members serving before September 11, 2001, including inactive or retired service members as well as military spouses, may be eligible for up to a 15 percent waiver of tuition per term.

• Transferring benefits to family. In the event an active service member or veteran transfers benefits to a spouse or dependent, the recipient will be eligible for the same waivers as the service member.

Ecotech Institute offers the following programs:
• Electrical Engineering Technology, Associate of Applied Science
• Energy and Environmental Paralegal, Associate of Applied Science
• Energy Efficiency, Associate of Applied Science
• Environmental Technology, Associate of Applied Science
• Renewable Energy Technology, Associate of Applied Science
• Solar Energy Technology, Associate of Applied Science
• Sustainable Interior Design, Certificate Program
• Wind Energy Technology, Associate of Applied Science


To learn more about Ecotech Institute, visit http://www.ecotechinstitute.com . The next round of classes begins in January 2011 and applications are being accepted now. Financial assistance is available.

About Ecotech Institute
Ecotech Institute is the first and only college entirely focused on preparing America's workforce for careers in renewable energy and sustainable design. Launched in April 2010 in Denver, Colorado, the college offers seven associate's degrees and a certificate program designed by experts in the industry for people seeking careers in the emerging cleantech economy. Ecotech Institute is a division of Education Corporation of America. For more information about Ecotech Institute, visit http://www.ecotechinstitute.com/.

About Education Corporation of America
Education Corporation of America is a leader in the post-secondary career school market with current enrollment of over 17,000 students. The ECA website is http://www.ecacolleges.com/. In addition to Ecotech Institute, ECA schools include Virginia College, founded in 1983, a private institution of higher education that offers non-degree and associate's, bachelor's and master's degree programs in the areas of Health and Medical, Business, Information Technology, Interior Design, Computer Design, Culinary Arts, Cosmetology, Nursing and more in eighteen different cities. Virginia College campuses are located in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery, Alabama; Jacksonville and Pensacola, Florida; Augusta and Macon, Georgia; Biloxi and Jackson, Mississippi; Charleston, Spartanburg, Columbia, and Greenville, South Carolina; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Richmond, Virginia; and Austin, Texas. The Virginia College website is http://www.vc.edu/. Virginia College also offers classes worldwide via the Internet, with student services and admissions facilities in Birmingham, Alabama, and Tampa, Florida. Information about online classes at Virginia College is available at http://www.vconline.edu. Additionally, ECA operates Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virginia College, with locations in Birmingham and Mobile, Alabama; Richmond, Virginia; and Jacksonville, Florida. The website is http://www.culinard.com. ECA also operates Golf Academy of America, with locations in Phoenix, Arizona; San Diego, California; Orlando, Florida; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The Golf Academy website is http://www.golfacademy.edu.

Contact: Alicia Hassinger
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720.933.8119
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