Issue #159, July/August, 2024
IN THIS ISSUE:
CEWD Welcomes the INGAA Foundation
CEWD is proud to welcome the INGAA Foundation as our newest national association partner, adding additional stewardship, voice, and leadership to the Center’s work to develop a skilled, diverse energy workforce. With the Foundation’s engagement, we are also pleased to announce that Amy Andryszak, President and CEO of INGAA and the INGAA Foundation, has joined CEWD’s Board of Directors.
Invitation for Energy Employers in IL, FL, TX, NY, and AZ to Learn about Reentry Hiring Pilots
If you operate in Chicago, Florida, Houston, New York City, or Greater Phoenix and are considering hiring from the justice impacted community, please join us for an informational webinar on September 11 from 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET. The pilots are fully funded and require no employer investment. This program is a result of a partnership with Jobs for the Future, Society for Human Resources Management, Mission: Launch, R3, and CEWD. Learn more and register here.
Providing Community and Leadership Development for ERG Leaders
Our new ERG Leaders National Learning Series and Leadership Summit, co-hosted with American Association of Blacks in Energy, Hispanics in Energy, Veterans in Energy, UnidosUS, and the National Urban League – will unite ERG leaders from across the industry to learn from one another through sessions professionally facilitated by The ERG Homegirl, Maceo Owens, founder of The ERG Movement. Sessions begin in September.
CEWD’s Community Day Returns in September
CEWD’s Community Day will once again unite the industry’s workforce community for conversation, idea sharing, and solutioning. Block your calendar for September 18 and spend the day with us or reserve time for the dialogues of most interest to you. Learn more and register here and get a glimpse of the day’s line up for the all community discussion as well as conversations for Communities of Practice focused on DE&I, Workforce Planning and Analytics, Military Recruiters, Education and Training, and Energy Educators.
IMPACT Award Nominations Are Due September 30
Nominations for the 2024 Impact Awards are due September 30. These awards honor excellence by individuals, companies, and consortia affiliated with CEWD for their leadership of workforce development initiatives that will have a lasting impact on the development of a skilled, diverse talent pipeline for the energy sector.
CEWD Thanks the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
In May 2024, following the DE&I Forum, CEWD partnered with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to create an energy specific Expanding Equity cohort on tactically maturing DE&I strategies. In our inaugural cohort, 63 participants from 16 different companies enrolled in the Core Program. Participants collaborated for three months, working through ten areas of learning, including Skills-Based Hiring, Inclusion and Belonging, and Responsible Contracting, creating and implementing actionable DE&I strategies. We expect to kick off our second cohort in Spring 2025 immediately following the May DE&I Forum!
Thank you to all who participated and to the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for offering this incredible experience to CEWD and its business leaders.
CEWD’s 2024 Workforce Development Summit Is Unlike Any Other
Starting later this week you can expect regular spotlights on all the components of this year’s extraordinary not-to-miss Forum, but in the meantime, allow us to tease out a few of the highlights and new features:
CHRO Day – Chief People Leaders: Check out the line up for this new conference feature. We will also hear brief remarks from Deloitte on their new Workforce Development Maturity Model and Accenture on their new AI in Energy Workforce Development report. We also have a few other tricks up our sleeve that will be part of the day that we aren’t quite ready to talk about yet!
Energy Careers Discovery Zone – This new event already looks like it will exceed our original vision thanks to the experiential learning offerings from energy employers. Want to add to the day and inform those who influence the people, policies, and practices about energy workforce development? Offer an exhibit here and begin spreading the word outside our industry here.
Energy Workforce on the Hill – Directly following the Workforce Development Summit, attendees including energy companies, contractors, associations, and education and nonprofit organizations, are invited to participate in coordinated Capitol Hill Visits to talk to Members of Congress and their staff about the needs of the energy workforce. Training will be provided as will talking points and issue preparation. Sign-ups will open soon. In the meantime, contact Christina Marshall with questions.
ERG Leaders’ Summit – See here and above for more information.
Camouflage to Corporate Workshop – Check out this deep-dive workshop to grow veteran inclusion in the energy workforce Pre-Summit Workshop, separate registration required.
What’s Up? News Updates
CEWD is reporting important news and updates in this new CEWD Connections section to keep readers abreast of energy workforce headlines. If you have any article suggestions, please email [email protected].
How to Improve the Hiring Process for Disabled Candidates
Companies want to do better and improve their hiring process for disabled candidates, but there is the steep challenge of attracting candidates and convincing them that they truly are an equitable employer. Learn what other industries are doing to improve their hiring and retention for adults with disabilities.
UI Recruits Technical High School Students for Summer Internship Program, with Hope of Future Jobs
The United Illuminating Co works with four technical high schools in southern Connecticut to attract an train new line repair workers. In 2023 the program trained nine interns and this summer eight are in the program. Six of the nine interns from 2023 have already begun working as full-time rotational utility workers and three more will be hired when they turn 18.
TVA and Huntsville Utilities Fund Scholarship for Lineworkers
Tennessee Valley Authority and Huntsville Utilities partnered to create a $100,000 scholarship for students training to be lineworkers at Calhoun Community College.
The need-based scholarship will cover students’ lunch, supplies, mentorship, and transportation costs over the course of Calhoun’s 7-week Pre-Apprentice Lineworker Program. Out of a pool of applicants, 10 lucky students will qualify for the scholarship.
With rising graduation rates in Indiana, the talent pool is growing. NiSource Inc., the parent organization of Northwest Indiana Public Service Company LLC (“NIPSCO”), is working with several higher education institutions in Indiana to teach students essential skills fundamental to working in the utility industry. Training and fostering the next generation of talent is critical to NiSource as we strive to be a top employer in Indiana and other states where we live and work.
Alabama Power line workers and contractors returned home Friday after spending more than a week helping Texas utility CenterPoint Energy restore power following Hurricane Beryl.
NABTU and TVA Sign Landmark MOU to Raise Jobsite Standards for the Construction Industry
North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) announced the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) as a founding signer of a landmark RESPECT (Responsible Environment Supporting Positive Equity Culture and Treatment) initiative designed to enhance the work culture and environment at construction sites. The memorandum of understanding will implement NABTU’s RESPECT program on all TVA projects.
Empowering Future Generations: Supporting our Local HBCUs
Entergy continues their longstanding support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities with a 10-year, $20 million commitment to elevate and empower the institutions and their students through academic scholarships, facility grants and endowments, workforce development programming, internship experiences, access to resources and financial aid and generational wealth building.
Edison International Announces 12 Lineworker Scholarship Recipients
Edison International announced the 12 recipients of the Edison International Lineworker Scholarship, which awards up to $25,000 per recipient to pursue a career in the skilled trade workforce at Southern California Edison. The scholarship, funded by Edison International shareholders and IBEW Local 47, is designed to build and strengthen a diverse workforce in SCE’s service area.
Puget Sound Energy to open new Operations Training Center in Puyallup
In partnership with Trammell Crow Company, a global real estate development firm, PSE looks to open a new facility that will provide important hands-on training to its field workers, first responders, engineers, and project management staff.
Troops to Energy Jobs Site Sees Spike in Vet Engagement
The Veterans Registration Site has seen an increase in the number of veterans and service members uploading their resume and showing interest in the energy industry as a career choice. We are seeing an average of 100 new registrants coming in each month.
If you already have access the database, you recently received a message about the upgrade to the system. This upgrade integrated the veterans database more effectively with its parent site, GetIntoEnergy.org, and will facilitate easier maintenance and security monitoring.
If you did not have previous access to the list of veterans but are interested in registering as a CEWD member with access to the veterans who register, please click here. You will be able to search for veterans by desired city and state, by skill and even military occupational specialty. If you would also like to receive the list of veterans who have registered in the old system (and you are a CEWD member), please send an email to Rosa Schmidt, at [email protected] and she will share that with you.
CEWD Staff Team Provides Workforce Development Voice to Eager Audiences
While summer seemingly promises a reduced pace, we have not found that to be the case as the CEWD team has taken to the streets to provide information about the energy workforce. Thank you to the organizations that have invited us to join them for events including:
- AESP Summer Conference
- Unidos’ Annual Conference
- National Urban League’s Annual Conference
- Tennessee Valley Authority Women’s Policy Conference
- Jobs for the Future’s Horizons Conference
- EPRI’s Hydrogen Workforce Conference
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