As school bells ring once again, ComEd celebrates the close of another jam-packed season in which youth from across northern Illinois showed up for an electric summer of learning, from ages 11 to 19.
“It’s estimated that tens of thousands of family-sustaining jobs will come to Illinois in the years ahead to support our grid facing evolving energy demands and more extreme weather,” said Laticia Holbert, Senior Manager of Workforce Development at ComEd. “With the help of our community partners, ComEd continues to deliver summer youth programming to inspire the next generation of leaders to pursue careers in the energy field where you can make a difference and support your community for the future.”
Read on to catch up on what participants of ComEd programs were up to this summer.
Power of STEM participants learning about how solar energy works.
Power of STEM
This summer, the Power of STEM program served 316 Rockford-area 5th-12th graders, delivering three, two-hour workshops on climate change, microgrids, and solar energy. Partners Booker Washington Community Center, YMCA of Rock River Valley and Boys and Girls Club of Rockford help deliver a curriculum designed to meet Illinois education standards while teaching about the transition to a cleaner energy future.
Youth Ambassadors building models of utility poles and power lines.
Youth Ambassadors
In partnership with After School Matters (ASM), Youth Ambassadors is a six-week program for youth ages 14 to 18, in which participants are introduced to STEM-related careers in the energy and utility industries through hands-on science projects, field trips, and demonstrations, such as drone-piloting and pole-climbing.
“ComEd has been a summer program partner since 2013 with the Youth Ambassadors program, and this year 117 teens across the city engaged in learning about beneficial electrification and career pathways at the company,” said Kate Schriner, Director of Institutional Giving at ASM. “We are grateful for ComEd’s partnership and their investment ensuring that Chicago teens have bright futures!”
Leonardo, a rising junior at Lincoln Park High School, participated in Youth Ambassadors for the third year this summer. “Each year, I come back smarter and what I learn here keeps me motivated,” said Leonardo. “Thanks to Youth Ambassadors, I’ll be better prepared for my future as I take advanced science classes in school. It feels rewarding to know I can do this.”
CONSTRUCT Youth Academy
Right to left, Dwayne and Darius at the CONSTRUCT Youth Academy graduation
Launched in 2023 in partnership with the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, and since joined by Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago, the ComEd CONSTRUCT Youth Academy is a paid, three-week program for rising high school juniors and seniors interested in careers in the fast-growing energy sector. From craft positions in linework to STEM roles in engineering to emerging careers supporting EV adoption, this year’s 73 participants had a chance to visit ComEd facilities and meet with employees to learn more about what it takes to pursue a range of career paths in the industry.
“This summer, the YMCA of Metro Chicago proudly celebrated young individuals graduating from the CONSTRUCT Youth Academy,” said Agneis Schultz, Vice President of Community Innovation and Impact at YMCA of Metro Chicago. “This success is a true testament to what’s possible when community organizations and industry leaders come together. Our partnership with ComEd continues to create meaningful opportunities for youth to gain the skills, confidence, and support that they need to succeed in the workforce and throughout life. We’re honored to stand alongside ComEd in building brighter futures, one graduate at a time!”
Brothers Darius and Dwayne, rising junior and senior respectively at Leo High School, participated together in the program this summer. “It was great to hear that so many employees are passionate about their jobs, working in the community to keep their lights on,” said Darius. “The overhead lineworker seemed like a fun job to me because I’m more active and hands-on.” While his brother Dwayne also enjoyed learning about trades jobs, he gravitated to STEM roles. “I’m interested in engineering and computer science,” said Dwayne. “We all have different talents and as we gather to learn about how electricity affects our communities, it gives us a lot to think about for our futures.”
Dustin at the Tools of the Trade Bed Build at the ComEd Chicago Training Center
Tools of the Trade
Tools of the Trade is a paid seven-week job training program designed to prepare young adults ages 17-19 across Chicago, Rockford and Oak Brook for entry-level trades roles at ComEd. Since 2016, participants have gained hands-on construction experience, certifications, and prepared for industry-required exams. For the third year, in partnership with St. Joseph Bed Ministry, youth participated in a community service project building beds for children in need in our communities. This year, 60 twin-size beds were built in time for young recipients to get quality rest for the new school year.
Dustin, a recent graduate of Niles West High School, was one of 47 program participants this summer. “Tools of the Trade has been very helpful,” said Dustin. “It teaches you a lot of the basics of electrical [and] how to be ready for the workforce. It introduced me to some tools I’ve never really used before.”
UIC CHANCE STEM Academy
In partnership with the University of Illinois in Chicago (UIC) and Deloitte, UIC CHANCE STEM Academy is an eight-week summer bridge program for incoming freshmen attending UIC designed with the goal of increasing recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of underrepresented students. Twenty-four participants this year had the chance to live on campus for nearly two weeks, tour ComEd and Deloitte offices, and were taught soft skills like networking and business etiquette. Participants also learned about engineering-related careers in the energy sector and had the chance to apply for the UIC ComEd Scholars program, a scholarship and mentorship program.
UIC CHANCE STEM Academy Class of 2025 and their ComEd mentors.
ComEd is proud to spark interest in future career pathways for young people early on through its variety of education and job training programs, which reach more than 1,000 local residents each year. For more information, visit ComEd.com/CleanEnergyJobs.
