Bismarck State College hopes to solidify a relationship with the U.S. Navy to provide online training.

College officials are finalizing an agreement with the U.S. Navy to provide training in power plant technology. The agreement would make it easier for members of the Navy to find BSC by linking to the program through the Navy's Web site.

"This is really the next step in delivery on a global scale," BSC President Larry Skogen said.

The college hopes to have similar agreements with all branches of the military. The agreement with the Navy should be finalized by the end of the year.

The power plant program is appealing to the Navy because every ship has its own power plant and people who work on them, Skogen said.

"Every ship is concerned about generation, transmission and distribution," he said.

The college already offers the online classes and anyone in the military could already take the classes, Skogen said. The difference is now they have to seek it out instead of being told it exists. There also will be support services in place for the program..

The program will need more employees. An appropriation in the defense spending bill could make it easier to fund those positions.

A $500,000 earmark in the Senate Defense Appropriation bill could defray the costs if it makes it out of committee. So far, the Senate Defense Subcommittee approved it and now the Senate Appropriations Committee needs to consider it.

"Bismarck State College is home to a world-class energy education program. This funding will help expand its capabilities and help the Navy train its personnel at the same time," Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said in a release.

He is a member of the committee that added the program to the defense appropriation bill. He also is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. North Dakota projects have $60 million earmarked in the defense appropriation bill.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)