PRESQUE ISLE – For the past 18 months, Wayne Kilcollins of Presque Isle has worked as a wind technician at the first commercial wind farm in Maine. Now, in another first, Kilcollins has been tapped by Northern Maine Community College to teach in the first educational program to train wind power technicians in New England.
Kilcollins, who comes to NMCC from General Electric Wind Energy – the firm responsible for the maintenance and engineering at the wind farm operated by First Wind on Mars Hill Mountain – was introduced to the NMCC campus community by Alan Punches, vice president and academic dean, who led the search committee to find the top candidate to fill the new post.
“Given the singularly rare combination of skill sets required of a faculty member in an area as unique as wind power technology, we consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have identified and hired Wayne Kilcollins for this position,” said Punches. “Wayne brings not only impressive academic credentials to the job, but of equal importance, practical experience doing exactly the work for which we are preparing the graduates of this program. We look forward to watching Wayne and his colleagues on the electrical faculty of the college develop and grow this innovative, exciting, new educational opportunity.”
Through his work with GE, Kilcollins earned certifications for working on 1.5 megawatt wind turbines and on converter systems. He earned both his masters degree in engineering project management in 2007 and a baccalaureate degree in mechanical engineering in 1996 from Century University in Albuquerque, N.M.
Kilcollins’ work at the Mars Hill site, since August 2007, included trouble shooting turbine faults and making repairs, coordinating environmental, health and safety activities; and providing feedback to engineering on system issues and improvements. Prior to working at the wind farm, Kilcollins held positions as product development manager and assistant plant manager at ACME-Monaco Corp. in Presque Isle and as a production/project engineer for both First Technology, Inc. and MECON Manufacturing, Inc. in Caribou.
“I was pleased with the announcement of the new wind power technology program and am excited to work with NMCC in developing this program,” said Kilcollins. “Wind Power is a clean energy source that will reduce our reliance on foreign oil. There is an immediate and future need for qualified technicians in the assembly, commissioning, operations, and maintenance of these systems. I am looking to share my electro-mechanical systems background and time spent working with wind turbines over the past year and-a-half to prepare students to work in this challenging new career field.”
This is not Kilcollins’ first experience with NMCC. He has volunteered his time over the past several years serving on the advisory committees for the college’s electrical construction and maintenance and precisions metals manufacturing programs.
“Northern Maine Community College has a lot to contribute to Aroostook County and Maine,” Kilcollins said. “The college has done a great job working with the community to develop and promote programs that fit the local business needs.”
In addition to his professional credentials, Kilcollins served for three years as commander for the County Composite Squadron for the Civil Air Patrol. He holds certifications as both an open water SCUBA diver and pilot.
Wayne Kilcollins
