For Kiara Belcher, the path to a prosperous, purpose-driven future began when she stepped into a job fair. Jayden Mosley took a similar route as he began to recognize how learning tangible job skills reaped a set of intangible but deeply meaningful rewards.
Different starting points, but their journeys converged this month at the CONSTRUCT Infrastructure Academy and Craft Academy Class of 2026 graduation ceremony.
For 14 years, these ComEd training academies open doors for people like Belcher and Mosley, connecting them to training, employers and careers that can change the trajectory of their lives.
On April 16, ComEd and its partners celebrated the 60 graduates who comprise this year’s CONSTRUCT Infrastructure Academy and Craft Academy class. Surrounded by family, mentors and employers, the graduates marked the completion of months of hard work and the beginning of new career pathways in construction and the utility industry.
Together, these programs have prepared more than 1,000 graduates for these careers, demonstrating what’s possible when opportunity, preparation and partnership come together.
Preparing Talent for a Changing Energy Future
CONSTRUCT is an 11‑week workforce training program designed to connect participants with careers in construction and utility-related fields. Through hands-on instruction, industry-required certifications, job readiness training and direct engagement with employers, the program prepares participants to compete and succeed in a growing and evolving industry.
The Craft Academy builds on that foundation with a focused, three-week curriculum that strengthens the technical, math, climbing and interviewing skills needed for roles such as construction worker or overhead helper at ComEd. Graduates may also qualify for scholarships to continue their training and advance their careers.
The work ahead is urgent and the skills these graduates bring will be essential to modernizing critical infrastructure and supporting electrification and clean energy goals, as ComEd Chief Operating Officer David Perez expressed in his remarks at the ceremony.
Jayden Mosley speaks to the 2026 CONSTRUCT and Craft Academy graduates
“This Program Gave Me Direction and Confidence”
Mosley, a South Side Chicago native, participated in ComEd’s Youth CONSTRUCT program for two consecutive years. When Mosley entered the Craft Academy, he had a clear goal: to build a stable future through discipline, hands-on work and consistency.
“This program gave me more than technical training,” he said. “It gave me direction, confidence, and real-world skills. I’ve learned that safety is not just a rule but a mindset. And I’ve gained communication, teamwork and accountability skills that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my career.”
At just 18, Mosley is already setting his sights on pursuing a career in the electric utility industry and eventually giving back to youth in his community.
Kiara Belcher speaks to the 2026 CONSTRUCT and Craft Academy graduates
From Training to a Career
Belcher learned about CONSTRUCT Infrastructure Academy graduate during a visit to a job fair held by Young Women’s Christian Association, more commonly known as YWCA.
She decided to take a chance and enroll in the program. It put her on track to earn industry-recognized credentials, including OSHA and NCCER training, and to develop hands-on skills, such as using power tools and working on team-based construction projects.
She highlighted an experience building a shed alongside fellow participants. For Belcher, it reinforced the importance of communication and teamwork.
That preparation paid off. After a job shadow with Sterling Site Access Solutions, one of CONSTRUCT’s employer partners, Belcher accepted a position and has already begun her role as a CLT line operator.
“Without the CONSTRUCT program, I may never have had access to employers in this industry,” said Belcher. “Because of that investment, I’m stepping into my career prepared, confident and ready from day one.”
Powered by Partnership
Programs like CONSTRUCT and Craft Academy don’t succeed by accident. They are powered by collaboration among workforce agencies, educators, labor partners and corporate employers who believe in building opportunity together.
This year’s CONSTRUCT cohort included participants from organizations such as the Chicago Urban League, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, ASPIRA of Illinois, Central States SER, National Latino Education Institute, St. Sabina Employment Resource Center, Chicago CRED and Quad County Urban League. Four new corporate partners also joined the program in 2026, further expanding access to career opportunities.
As Melissa Washington, ComEd Senior Vice President of Governmental, Regulatory and External Affairs noted during the ceremony, the true impact of these efforts isn’t found in reports or spreadsheets – it’s found in the lives and futures represented by each graduate.
Looking Ahead
Of the 60 graduates honored this year, eight already have job offers in-hand, and many more are actively pursuing opportunities across the region. Their success reflects not only their broader commitment to ensuring opportunity grows alongside Illinois’ energy and infrastructure needs, but also their own grit and dedication to achieving their own goals and dreams.
“When I was five-years-old, I remember looking up at cranes towering in the sky and asking my older brother if I could ever do something like that,” Belcher said. “He told me, ‘You can do whatever you want, but you have to put in the work.’”
As the Class of 2026 steps forward, they join a growing network of CONSTRUCT alumni that are helping strengthen the local workforce and putting in the work necessary to power their lives – and their communities.
