CHEYENNE - Even before the U.S. economy tanked last fall, Josh Bennett realized the struggle to make ends meet as a special education teacher in Oakland, Calif., wasn't going to get any easier.

"We sat down as a family and talked about where I want to go in terms of a long-term career," said Bennett, 31. "We decided we wanted to do something in renewables. And of all the industries, wind seemed to be the most exciting."

Bennett made the difficult decision of leaving his wife and two children home while he trained in Laramie County Community College's wind energy program. Here, he inspects a 1-megawatt Mitsubishi wind turbine and practices safe climbing and rescue techniques.

"It was a big move," Bennett said. "I left two kids and my wife back home, so I had to make sure I was doing something I was sincere about and passionate about, as opposed to just flying by the seat of my pants and going toward just anything for a quick buck."

Bennett hopes that he'll work in wind energy until he retires. He's confident that that's the case, because he has done a little research. State and federal policies all seem to be moving toward an era of clean energy.

Unlike the nation's fossil fuel industries, wind has a tremendous potential for growth. Bennett said he wants to be a part of that new and expanding industry.

"By 2025 we're looking at being 20 percent renewable," Bennett said. "We're very low right now. So if we're going to grow to 20 percent, to me that seems like long-term viability. That's stability in terms of income."

A career in wind energy also presents dynamic opportunities. Bennett said he's particularly interested in working on off-shore wind turbines. He wants to hone his skills and someday offer his own training program.

While studying at LCCC, Bennett also discovered he enjoys climbing - particularly the climb safety, fall prevention and rescue techniques.

"I would like to ultimately end up being a climb safety instructor. And if the right opportunity opens itself up, then of course, I'd jump at it," he said.

Bennett has secured a summer internship with nXco, a San Francisco Bay area wind developer. Then after another semester at LCCC in Cheyenne, he'll be ready for full-time work in wind energy.

"Cheyenne is a small, isolated town where I can focus on studying and not be distracted by other things, and I kind of like that," he said.

Energy reporter Dustin Bleizeffer can be reached at (307) 577-6069 or dustin.bleizeffer@trib.com. Check out Dustin's blog at tribtown.trib.com/DustinBleizeffer.