An interesting story out of Yonkers, N.Y.

Students from Polytechnic Institute of New York University performed a little before-and-after analysis of Hudson Valley Bank’s efforts at improving energy efficiency at its data center. All told, the bank was able to cut power consumption by half, certainly a feat worthy of some kudos.

For banks looking to improve the bottom line by cutting power bills — or any other business for that matter — the real takeaway from the Bank Technology News article is that green IT is creeping into the coursework and curriculum of some schools, and it could mean that the workforce will soon be joined by graduates with some much sought after credentials.

Some of the schools offering programs include the Howe School of Technology Management at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J. (my home state!) and Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Neb. As I’ve written about at GigaOM Pro (sub req’d), execs with experience in designing and/or operating energy efficient data centers are making some pretty big carrier moves at some big tech companies. Having a green IT cert on your resume is a nice way to get a hiring manager’s attention and build some momentum in your own career.