This summer, the Youth Energy Academy (YEA) held a series of events across Florida aimed at introducing young people, particularly those from minority and underserved backgrounds, to careers in the electric utility industry and related STEM fields.
The initiative was organized through a partnership between Duke Energy Florida, Ocala Electric, SECO Energy, Orlando Utilities Commission, Siemens Energy, Gainesville Regional Utilities, and the Florida Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE). The program included interactive activities and facility tours to provide students with direct exposure to the energy sector.
Melissa Seixas, state president of Duke Energy Florida, said: “The energy industry is full of diverse and engaging career paths, ones that provide growth opportunities, an essential skillset and strong earning potential. The Youth Energy Academy is the best place for students to explore these rewarding options and discover how they can make a real impact in their community and beyond.”
Events took place at several locations including St. Petersburg’s Duke Energy Bartow Power Plant; Ocala’s Lillian Bryant Community Center; Orlando and Winter Garden; and Gainesville Regional Utilities Complex. Activities included workshops on energy careers, virtual reality experiences, panel discussions, interactive games, live line demonstrations, and generation site tours.
After participating in the YEA events, most students indicated through surveys that they were more likely to consider a career in the energy industry.
Duke Energy Florida serves about 2 million customers across a 13,000-square-mile area in Florida. Its parent company Duke Energy operates electric utilities serving 8.4 million customers across six states and owns significant energy capacity nationwide. More information about Duke Energy’s operations can be found at https://www.duke-energy.com/ or via its news center at https://news.duke-energy.com/.
For further details about the Youth Energy Academy program visit https://aabefl.org/youth-energy-academy.
Photos from the YEA events are available for download here.
Contact: Laitin Sterling
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
