ComEd, HIRE360 Celebrate First Graduating Class of New EV Pre-Apprenticeship Program
06 Novembro 2023 - 1:09PM
Business Wire
17 participants of new Take Charge:
Pre-Apprenticeship Program take next steps toward trades careers
supporting Illinois’ fast-growing EV sector
ComEd and HIRE360 today joined members of the community to
recognize the first class of graduates of the Take Charge:
Pre-Apprenticeship program, a first-of-its-kind program to prepare
local residents for careers supporting the fast-growing electric
vehicle (EV) industry in Illinois. A diverse class of 17 graduates
from across the Chicagoland area has completed the 8-week training
program, preparing them to meet entry-level trades roles at ComEd
and at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Local 134.
The new program is part of ComEd's plan to grow the workforce to
meet evolving demands facing the grid, with EV adoption quickly
accelerating in Illinois. Today, there are 80,000 registered
statewide, and 70,000 registered in ComEd’s service territory
alone, up from just over 19,000 statewide in 2019. The shift toward
EVs and a clean energy economy is expected to create a significant
number of jobs in the ears ahead, with a recent study estimating
that as many as 150,000 new clean energy jobs coming to Illinois by
2050.
“The clean energy transition will require a skilled, diverse
talent pipeline, and today’s Take Charge graduates demonstrate that
those workers are here within our Chicagoland communities,” said
Gil C. Quiniones, CEO of ComEd. “In collaboration with
HIRE360 and others in the region, we are establishing training
programs that provide jobseekers from diverse communities with
essential skills, positioning them to be first in line for
good-paying careers created by the rise in clean tech, including
Illinois’ fast-growing EV sector. These workers can help us build a
cleaner, more modern grid for the future.”
The inaugural Take Charge program featured a diverse class of
trainees from across Chicago, with 16 individuals of color, and
four women, and with ages spanning from 18 to 51. As part of a
commitment to ensuring more women and people of color can be
represented in training for the trades, HIRE360 prioritized
recruitment of diverse candidates from across Chicago and the
region, with a focus on training in communities in the south and
west sides.
“HIRE360’s core tenants are to provide sustainable career
opportunities for local residents, particularly women, Black and
Brown individuals and minorities, and the Take Charge program
provides a lifetime opportunity for these 17 graduates seeking to
enter the EV industry,” said Jay Rowell, Executive Director of
HIRE360. “Working with ComEd, we are exposing more local
candidates to exciting careers in the clean energy space, and
building a talent pipeline that the industry will demand and that
our communities will need to stay ahead. We are proud of the
commitment these candidates have shown throughout the program and
look forward to what they can accomplish in their newfound career
paths.”
During the program, participants received general training on EV
topics and the electrical industry, helping them develop knowledge
and skills for careers in these fields. The eight-week curriculum
included on-site training at McCormick Place, as well as off-site
learning opportunities with ComEd fleet managers and with the
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), where candidates received a
firsthand behind-the-scenes experience in CTA’s electric buses and
charging facilities.
“Partnerships with ComEd and HIRE360 are essential to ensuring
talent is there to meet the demand for a growing number of green
energy jobs here in Illinois,” said Gene Kent, Executive Director,
IBEW-NECA Technical Institute. “Providing candidates with
hands-on experience and connecting them with industry leaders is
invaluable to their professional development. They are excellent
candidates for apprenticeship as they pursue the unionized
electrical industry.”
Take Charge participants also toured the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134 (IBEW-134) Center in
Bronzeville, the Chicago Drives Electric exhibition at the 2023
Chicago Auto Show, and construction sites located around the city
to provide hands-on industry exposure and an opportunity for
networking.
"The Take Charge program opened my eyes to many opportunities
that I never knew were possible, but that will have a huge impact
on the environment and my future," said Yasriyyah Green, a
graduate and South Shore resident. "I am excited to apply my
experience learning about EVs in the Take Charge training program
toward to a future electrical career, which will align with my
professional goals and allow me to make a positive impact in the
community.”
The new Take Charge: EV Charging Pre-Apprenticeship program is
just one example of how ComEd is partnering with partners around
the region and investing in job training to connect more diverse,
local jobseekers to the growing number of opportunities required
for the clean energy transition in Illinois. ComEd also offers a
range of in-depth job training and apprenticeship-style programs,
including the CONSTRUCT Infrastructure Academy and the Craft
Academy, among others, with its job training and youth education
programs collectively reaching 2,000 people every year across the
region.
For more on ComEd career readiness programs, please visit
www.comed.com/cleanenergyjobs.
About ComEd
ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ:
EXC), a Fortune 250 energy company with approximately 10 million
electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of
customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million
customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s
population. For more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with
the company on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About HIRE360
Launched in December of 2019, HIRE360 is an Industry Led,
Community Focused nonprofit ensuring that our city’s future is
inspired by all the communities that call Chicago home. Our
“demand” driven approach to workforce development allows a direct
connection with employers and unions to develop workforce
recruitment and training programs that meet the specific and timely
employment needs of the hospitality and construction sectors. As a
workforce intermediary, we identify, recruit, skill up and help
community members navigate the apprenticeship process. Our business
development program creates wealth and career opportunities in
Chicago’s communities by investing capital, time and mentorship to
help Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises start, grow and
thrive. Learn more at www.HIRE360Chicago.com.
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ComEd Media Relations 312-394-3500
Brianna Moreland Rise Strategy Group C: (773) 494-4569
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