UI, SCG Reaffirm Investment in Next Generation of Energy Workforce
UI, SCG President & CEO visits the Energize Connecticut Green STEP Summer Training Program, which will certify nearly 100 Connecticut high school students in energy efficiency careers
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — July 21, 2023 — Yesterday, Frank Reynolds, the President and CEO of United Illuminating and Southern Connecticut Gas, subsidiaries of Avangrid (NYSE: AGR), visited the Green STEP Summer Training Program at the High School in the Community in New Haven. Green STEP, offered by Energize ConnecticutSM Sponsors Eversource and Avangrid, is a first-of-its-kind 3.5-week summer training program that is designed to prepare students for careers in the energy efficiency trade industry.
“I was pleased to visit the Green STEP Summer Training Program in the heart of UI and SCG’s service territory in New Haven yesterday,” said Frank Reynolds, President & CEO at UI and SCG. “As we face an aging workforce across Connecticut and in the energy industry, training the next generation of the energy workforce is essential. That’s why UI is committed this year to working with high school students interested in the trades, first through the Union Scholars Program and now through our partnership with Green STEP, because the energy industry’s ability to overcome historic challenges will depend on the next generation of our workforce. I commend the Conservation and Load Management team at UI and SCG as well as all our fellow Sponsors of Energize CT for putting together this innovative training program for Connecticut’s young people.
The Green STEP Summer Training Program offers nearly 100 Connecticut high school students the opportunity to receive up to seven industry-recognized certifications in various energy efficiency career pathways. Possible career pathways include weatherization services contractors, HVAC installers, green building contractors, and many more. As an “earn-as-you-learn” program, students also receive minimum wages in addition to exam bonuses. Enrollment is open to students across Connecticut, and 57 percent live in Environmental Justice communities and 32 percent in distressed communities.
“Ensuring our homes and businesses are energy efficient is one of the most important investments we can make toward making our communities more sustainable,” said Hammad Chaudry, Senior Manager of Conservation and Load Management at UI and SCG. “But to expand access to the programs offered by the Sponsors of Energize CT to every Connecticut resident, we need to grow the workforce capable of implementing these solutions, and that is precisely what the Green STEP Summer Training Program endeavors to do. I am proud to be part of the leadership team who saw the critical need for such a program, and I look forward to seeing it grow in the future.”
The Green STEP Summer Training Program graduation ceremony is open to the public and will be held on Friday, July 28 from 3 PM to 6 PM at the High School in the Community. The first hour (3 PM – 4 PM) will be a career expo for vendors in the energy efficiency sector to meet with students for possible internships and early-career opportunities. A speaking program and awards ceremony will begin at 4 PM and feature state and municipal officials as well as leadership for the energy efficiency programs at Eversource and Avangrid.
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About UI: The United Illuminating Company (UI) is a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc. Established in 1899, UI operates approximately 3,600 miles of electric distribution lines and 138 miles of transmission lines. It serves approximately 341,000 customers in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas of Connecticut. UI received the Edison Electric Institute’s Emergency Recovery Award in 2019 and 2021. For more information, visit www.uinet.com.
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $41 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs more than 7,500 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021, 2022 and 2023 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2023, Avangrid ranked first within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2023 for the fifth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.
Media Contact:
Sarah Wall
swall@avangrid.com
757.407.4255