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ACE Launches Program to Educate Future Energy Workforce

Company joins South Jersey community partners to implement key education and jobs program

Atlantic City Electric joined four South Jersey workforce development boards and three vocational schools to officially launch a six-year $6.5-million program to educate the workforce needed to fill future energy jobs across New Jersey. The launch of this innovative program comes just months after New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law important legislation to create jobs and drive a cleaner energy future for New Jersey.

“Delivering a cleaner energy future for our customers tomorrow requires investing in the next generation of energy professionals now,” said Dave Velazquez, president and CEO of Pepco Holdings, which includes Atlantic City Electric, Delmarva Power and Pepco. “Through this essential program, we will educate the workforce that will help keep our energy grid running, advance solar, wind and other clean energy technologies, and drive innovation in our industry.”

Atlantic City Electric’s workforce development program is being implemented through a partnership with Atlantic County Institute of Technology, Cape May Vocational School, Cumberland County TEC, and each of the four workforce development boards across the Atlantic City Electric service area. The initiative, which will kick-off in early 2019, includes four programs:

  • Get into Energy Math and Boot Camp provides education on applied math skills specific to the energy industry and teaches concepts that are critical to success for energy industry job opportunities. The workshop provides individuals with the necessary math concepts required to successfully complete employment testing for jobs in the energy industry.
  • Women in Sustainable Employment (WISE) Pathway is designed for women to explore non-traditional, in-demand jobs in the construction, gas, water, electric, and energy industries. The program is a 40-hour curriculum that provides women the opportunity to learn about career paths in these related fields.
  • Atlantic City Electric Line School is a four-week program offering hands-on instruction to students seeking a career in the energy industry as a line worker. The course covers the fundamentals of line work and provides class participants with training in the areas of bucket truck and equipment operations.
  • High School Energy Career Academy is a four-year program focused on preparing students in grades nine through 12, for entering post-secondary education or moving directly to employment with an energy company. The extensive program model not only helps students build their knowledge of the energy industry, it also includes employability skills and integrated academic components as well.

Atlantic City Electric works every day to drive innovation, provide a premier customer experience, and meet the evolving energy needs of its 550,000 customers across southern New Jersey. This work includes helping more than 26,000 customers connect their solar to the local energy grid; proposing a suite of electric vehicle programs to help customers transition to this clean and efficient transportation source; supporting several local municipalities and customers with the development of potential microgrid projects; and working to identify how battery storage and other technologies can help advance the future energy experience for customers.

In addition to this new jobs and education program, Atlantic City Electric has provided more than $100,000 during the past two years to Boys and Girls Clubs in South Jersey through the Atlantic City Electric STEM Club to help prepare hundreds of local youth for career opportunities in the fields of STEM. Exelon, Atlantic City Electric’s parent company, also remains committed to supporting investment in STEM education through contributions of more than $10 million last year to education programs and initiatives.

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