WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 6, 2011) – South Carolina has joined eight other states in a Center for Energy Workforce Development initiative funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to train low-income young adults for careers in the energy industry.
South Carolina enters the “Get Into Energy” Career Pathways (GIECP) pilot project – launched last year in Ohio, Washington, Georgia, Florida, California, Indiana and Minnesota – along with North Carolina under the umbrella of the Carolinas Energy Workforce Consortium (CEWC), which includes industry, education and state workforce representatives from both states by this name.
The GIECP program works to assess the interest and skill levels of low-income, young adults (age 16-26) for potential employment in skilled technician positions in the energy industry.
While North Carolina has already identified two technical schools and appropriate curriculum for students in the target population to train to become lineworkers and power plant operators, South Carolina will now begin the process of determining which types of programs are most needed in that state.
“South Carolina is in the planning process right now,” said Nelson Peeler, VP Power Delivery, System Planning and Operations for Duke Energy and the chair of the CEWC. “They are really anxious to get on board. It won’t take long to get them up and running.”
The Carolinas consortium members have committed to hiring skilled workers out of the programs developed under the Gates grant. Adding South Carolina to the pilot project will expand the number of schools and utilities involved in the program and supports the objective of developing a sustainable talent pipeline of energy industry workers across the U.S.
Companies involved in the Carolinas Energy Workforce Consortium include Duke Energy, Progress Energy, Pike Electric, Areva, Utility Lines, the Shaw Group and the North Carolina Electric Cooperatives in North Carolina. Both Duke and Progress provide service to customers in South Carolina and will now be joined by SCANA, the parent company of South Carolina Electric and Gas, Santee Cooper, and state Electric Cooperatives.
Peeler said jobs will be provided to at least 80 of the students successfully completing the lineworker and power plant operator training programs over the next three years by all of the utilities represented by the consortium.
In the Carolinas as well as other states taking part in the program, students will have an opportunity to earn “stackable credentials” that focus on the foundational skills necessary to be successful in a variety of positions in energy fields. Following a pathways system of education -- which might include boot camps, apprenticeships, certificate programs or an associate degree -- young adults will be placed into electric and natural gas utility jobs or will be referred to jobs in construction and manufacturing.
Peeler said the program doesn’t just help low-income young adults; it helps the energy industry and state economies, as well.
“This gives us a pipeline of talented, skilled workers for the future,” he said. “Energy is a really important part of our economy. It’s great that this group of young people is being exposed to opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have, it’s great for the companies to develop talent and it’s great for the state to have confidence that there is a future workforce for the energy industry.”
