Today, reliable energy and technology advancements are critical – and the role of local energy companies becomes increasingly important. At Pepco, we pride ourselves on providing more than energy to homes and businesses across the District of Columbia and Maryland. One effective way we can contribute is by celebrating initiatives like Infrastructure Week and building a next-generation workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities all year-long.
Day in and day out, thousands of Pepco employees proudly demonstrate their dedication to sustainability, innovation, and our community’s well-being. Infrastructure Week is an opportunity to showcase our commitment to improving and modernizing the grid that our communities rely on.
One of the most significant challenges facing the utility industry is a looming shortage of skilled workers. As our seasoned employees approach retirement, there’s a growing need to attract and train the next generation of engineers, lineworkers, and professionals. Our workforce development manager, Brittny Pinto, plays a vital role in addressing this challenge by reaching out to local schools and colleges and partners with local organizations to bolster interest in the utility industry.
We recently partnered with the Maryland Center for Construction Education & Innovation to sponsor a Maryland Construction Career Day in Prince George’s County, where hundreds of local high school students got hands-on experience with companies across all areas – construction, plumbing, utilities, and even with Pepco’s overhead and underground lineworkers.
“By partnering with schools and participating in opportunities like career exploration events and job shadowing programs, we’re exposing students to the diverse and rewarding career opportunities available at Pepco and across the utility industry,” says Brittny. “What I find most rewarding from my work is being able to connect people of all ages to opportunities they never realized were a possibility.”
Getting local students interested in the utility industry isn’t just about filling job vacancies – it’s about investing in the future of our communities. By exposing students to the possibilities of careers in energy, we can help them see the importance of infrastructure and the role they can play in shaping it; but our workforce development programs aren’t limited to students.
Through the DC Infrastructure Academy, the Pepco Utility Training Program prepares D.C. residents for rewarding careers in the energy and utility fields. The 14-week program provides cohort participants with the mechanical skills, work readiness, and hands-on training to potentially receive a job offer with Pepco or one of its contractors of choice after successful completion of the program. To date, more than 200 Washington, D.C. residents have participated in the program since 2018.
Just like our engineers and lineworkers are driving innovation every day to enhance the grid, and continue meeting the needs of our ever-changing world, we continuously look for new ways to diversify and enhance our workforce. As we look to the future, it’s clear that we have a crucial role to play in shaping the world we live in; and we’ll continue this work by celebrating Infrastructure Week and partnering with local organizations and schools to spark an interest in the young minds of tomorrow’s workforce.