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 career training program launched in partnership with the agency local workforce Revolution Workshop to prepare job seekers for entry-level technical roles to support the clean energy transition in Illinois.
That transition is expected to create up to 150,000 jobs in Illinois by 2050, according to research firm BW Research. Training through the Power Up Academy is designed to increase the talent pool for the in-demand technical roles that will be needed to support the power grid, as well as advance the clean energy sector in Illinois, all without requiring a university degree.
“Programs like the Power Up Academy are ensuring that more of our diverse Northern Illinois communities are first in line for good-paying jobs that support the clean energy transition, those that not only not only will they support a modern grid, but they will make a lasting difference in creating cleaner futures for our communities,” said Louie Binswanger, ComEd’s senior vice president of government, regulatory and external affairs.
The 15 inaugural graduates reflect the diversity of ComEd’s service territory. Almost 90% of students are people of color and more than half are women.
Photos courtesy of ComEd
Throughout the program, participants gained industry knowledge, spatial aptitude and skills working with AutoCAD, a computer-aided design (CAD) software that is a typical qualification for these entry-level technical roles that support the network as design technician, project coordinator. , enabling 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 moved them closer to career readiness for the energy fields .
“During the program, I became certified in skills normally only available to college students such as AutoCAD, project management and financial literacy. I was even offered the opportunity to interview with engineering firms and receiving support from ComEd and Revolution Workshop to ensure I was prepared and confident to pass these interviews,” said Power Up Academy graduate Kala Wheeler.
At the conclusion of the program, ComEd and corporate partners Burns & McDonnell, HBK Engineering, KDM Engineering, Milhouse, Primera Engineers and V3 hosted a job fair that offered on-site interviews to connect program participants with positions aligned with the sets of ‘technical skills after graduation. ComEd and sponsoring companies are expected to extend employment offers to qualified participants.
“The challenges ahead, whether climate change, technological advances or working to support the rise of renewable energy, call for innovation and expanding opportunities in what has historically been a field dominated by men,” said Erin Imman, CEO of Primera Engineers, a local women-owned engineering company.
The Power Up Academy is just one of ComEd’s investments to boost job training opportunities that connect local communities with roles in the growing clean energy sector, including the more than 150 new engineering roles ComEd plans add in the next two years. Collectively, ComEd’s job training, apprenticeship and youth education programs reach 2,000 local residents each year.
Brinkmann constructors, 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 suburban Kirkwood west of st. . 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 contemporary aesthetics, the James is the first large-scale apartment complex approved in Kirkwood’s downtown historic district in nearly two decades. The residential community will offer a variety of amenities, including a pool, patio, entertainment room, fitness center, pet spa, work-from-home space and coffee shop.
Additionally, Brinkmann Constructors broke ground on First Bank’s 87,000-square-foot headquarters and self-contained parking lot in Creve Coeur, Missouri, 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 center” for team collaboration and social events. The project also includes a two-story detached garage and 82,000 square meters of parking for both employees and visitors. Brinkmann Constructors was founded in St. Louis in 1984 and has offices in Denver; Kansas City, Kan.; Richmond; and Phoenix
