Energy company ComEd joined workforce partners and community members in December to celebrate the first graduating class of the 10-week Power Up Academy, a new job training program launched in partnership with local workforce agency Revolution Workshop to prepare people who are hiring for entry-level technical roles supporting the clean energy transition in Illinois.
That transition is expected to create as many as 150,000 jobs in Illinois by 2050, according to research firm BW Research. Training through the Power Up Academy is designed to grow the talent pipeline for demanding technical roles that will be needed to support the electric grid as well as strengthen Illinois' clean energy sector — all without requiring a college degree.
“Programs like the Power Up Academy ensure that more of our diverse communities from across northern Illinois are first in line for good-paying jobs that support the clean energy transition—ones that will not only support a modern grid, but make a lasting difference in creating a cleaner future for our communities,” said Louie Binswanger, senior vice president of government, regulatory and external affairs at ComEd.
The inaugural 15 graduates reflect the diversity of ComEd's service area. Nearly 90% of trainees are people of color and more than half are women.
Photos courtesy of ComEd
During the program, participants gained industry knowledge, spatial abilities and skills working with AutoCAD, a computer-aided design (CAD) software that is a standard qualification for such grid-supporting entry-level technical roles as design technology, project coordinator, license analyst and more.
Through ComEd's educational partner, the City Colleges of Chicago, participants also received the Certified Project Management Certificate, an industry-wide prerequisite test that brings them one step closer to career readiness for the energy fields.
“During the program, I became certified in skills that are usually only available to students such as AutoCAD, project management and financial literacy. I was even given the opportunity to interview with engineering companies and was supported by ComEd and Revolution Workshop to make sure I was ready and confident to pass those interviews,” said Power Up Academy graduate Kala Wheeler.
At the end of the program, ComEd and corporate partners Burns & McDonnell, HBK Engineering, KDM Engineering, Milhouse, Primera Engineers and V3 held a job fair offering on-site interviews to match program participants with positions that align with their technical skill sets after graduation. ComEd companies and sponsors are expected to extend offers of employment to eligible participants.
“Future challenges – whether climate change, technological advances or working to support the growth of renewable energy sources – require innovation as well as expanding opportunities in what has historically been a male-dominated field,” said Erin Imman, CEO Advisor to Primera Engineers, a local, women's engineering company.
The Power Up Academy is just one of ComEd's investments to strengthen job training opportunities that connect local communities to roles in the growing clean energy sector, including the more than 150 new engineering roles that ComEd plans to add in the next two years. Collectively, ComEd's vocational training, apprenticeship and youth education programs reach 2,000 local residents each year.
Brinkmann manufacturers, a full-service general contractor, in partnership with Dallas-based High Street Residential (Trammell Crow Co.), recently celebrated the completion of a 253,000-square-foot mixed-use development in Kirkwood, a western suburb of St. Louis. . The James, a five-story development in the heart of downtown Kirkwood, includes 152 residential units, 285 parking spaces and 7,000 square feet of retail space.
Designed to blend old-world charm with modern aesthetics, The James is the first large-scale apartment complex to be approved in Kirkwood's historic downtown district in nearly two decades. The residential community will offer a variety of amenities, including a pool, courtyard, entertainment lounge, fitness center, pet spa, work-from-home space and coffee bar.
Additionally, Brinkmann Constructors broke ground on First Bank's 87,000-square-foot headquarters and freestanding parking garage in Creve Coeur, Mo., in December. Incorporating a variety of amenities designed to promote employee wellness and flexibility, the four-story building will feature multiple outdoor workspaces and a multipurpose “innovation hub” for team collaboration and social events. The project also includes a separate, two-story, 82,000-square-foot parking garage for both employee and visitor use. Brinkmann Constructors was founded in St. Louis in 1984 and has offices in Denver. Kansas City, Kan.; Richmond? and Phoenix.
