New program aims to recruit more diverse, local talent for entry-level roles that put people on path towards a career in engineering to support clean energy transition in Illinois
ComEd and a coalition of employers are launching a first-of-its-kind career training program designed to build a diverse pipeline of technical talent to support the clean energy transition in Illinois. Training through this program will expand opportunities for area men and women to enter in-demand technical roles in the energy sector, without requiring a college degree. The new “Power Up Academy,” a collaboration with workforce partner Revolution Workshop, is now recruiting for a 10-week training program to prepare residents for entry-level technical roles that support engineering teams.
“ComEd’s technical team helps deliver best-in-the-nation reliability, creates solutions to improve customer experience and lower costs, and designs the modern infrastructure needed to support today’s changing electricity demands, including the increasing adoption of technologies like solar panels and electric vehicles,” said Michelle Blaise, SVP of Technical Services at ComEd. “The new Power Up Academy is designed to expand the skilled and diverse talent pipeline we need to power today’s grid into tomorrow, while helping to remove barriers to local, good-paying career opportunities that will be created by the clean energy transition.”
This job training program aims to scale the energy workforce to meet a sharp demand for talent needed to take on new clean energy jobs, including those required to maintain and operate a modern grid. Demand for these positions is increasing nationally, as well as locally, where as many as 150,000 new clean energy jobs are expected to be created in Illinois by 2050 to support the clean energy transition, according to a recent study.
“Revolution Workshop is excited to join ComEd and its Engineering partners for the Power Up Academy program this fall,” said Manny Rodriguez, Founder and Executive Director of Revolution Workshop. “This partnership allows us to develop a new career pathway for our trainees/graduates that desire an opportunity into the professional side of construction. Developing these pathways for our communities is critical to breaking the cycles of poverty and provide real economic mobility.”
To prepare the workforce that will be needed in the years ahead, ComEd’s newest workforce program seeks to recruit and train more local residents for entry-level technical roles at ComEd and external engineering firms, including Design Techs, Engineering Associates, Project Coordinators and more. These roles perform a number of functions, including the development of construction drawings and material requirements for projects associated with utility infrastructure installation, removal or modification. Additionally, these roles support field engineering teams, providing engineering designs and supporting project managers. Trainees who complete the program will have the opportunity to apply for roles at ComEd, as well as with engineering firms sponsoring the program, including Burns & McDonnell, HBK Engineering, KDM Engineering, Milhouse, Primera Engineers, V3 Companies, and Sargent & Lundy.
As part of its ongoing commitment to building a diverse workforce, ComEd will leverage Revolution Workshop and its connections with the community to recruit diverse, local candidates for the training program, expected to start in September of 2023. Candidates must be 18 and pass a selection process conducted by Revolution Workshop. Interested persons can call Revolution Workshop at 708-529-6288 for more information.
ComEd and co-sponsoring engineering firms developed program curriculum in partnership with various organizations, including Revolution Workshop and HACIA. Participants will receive field-based study with classes held at Revolution Workshop, located on the near west side of Chicago. Through the program, participants will develop an understanding of the core requirements of technical roles in the energy and utilities sector, including program management and AutoCAD, a software program used by architects, engineers and construction professionals to create 2D and 3D drawings. At the end of training, participants will receive an OSHA 10 certification.
“The need for technical talent - drafters, designers, and engineers - in our industry has never been greater," said Erin Inman, President & CEO of Primera Engineers. We're thrilled to partner with ComEd and some of their other Engineers of Choice to develop their solution to this need: Power Up Academy. The program will offer interested candidates the technical and soft skills needed to be successful in these entry level positions," she continues.
"Milhouse is excited to partner with ComEd and other industry leaders in developing exceptional training programs that address our collective current and future workforce needs,” said Joseph Zurad, Chief Operating Officer of Production & Delivery of Milhouse Engineering and Construction, Inc. “The Power Up Academy is creating alternative pathways into the power industry that ensure a diverse and sustainable talent pool."
The new Power Up Academy is just the latest example of how ComEd is investing to expand job training to ensure local residents can access new jobs created by the clean energy transition. ComEd offers a range of in-depth job training and apprenticeship style programs, including the Craft Academy, the Dawson Tech Overhead Electrical Line Workers training program – a partnership with the City Colleges of Chicago, and just recently launched a new CONSTRUCT Youth Academy to expose high school students to trades pathways. As a result of its growing investment in career readiness and education across the region, ComEd's job training and STEM education programs last year directly benefitted nearly more than 2,000 local residents.
For more information on how to enroll in ComEd job training programs, please visit www.comed.com/cleanenergyjobs, or contact WorkforceDevelopment@ComEd.com.
ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 250 energy company with approximately 10 million electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
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