Duke Energy awards $697,000 in grants to support Florida workforce training, development

A total of 18 Florida-based organizations will split $697,000 in grant funding from Duke Energy Foundation and Duke Energy Florida, awarded to support workforce training, programs, and initiatives meant to hire and retain underrepresented and diverse employees.

The bulk of these were higher education institutions with career-focused curricula and training options for students meant to instill the skills and meet the demands of the local workforce. Investments ranged from a high of $100,000 for the University of South Florida Foundation Inc. and its Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement and Oceanography Camp for Girls programs, to a low of $10,000 for United Way of Pasco County Inc., for its homelessness prevention and employment effort known as the Bridging the Gap program.

Other efforts included preparations for linework training, expanding utility-based program offerings to include a renewable energy certificate program, and more.

“Duke Energy remains committed to creating access to workforce opportunities for the customers and communities we serve,” Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president, said. “These grants will help the organizations on the front lines assist Florida’s current and future workers in obtaining the critical skills necessary to meet the state’s evolving workforce needs.”

All grants are administered by the Duke Energy Foundation, a philanthropic arm of Duke Energy that provides more than $30 million annually for communities serviced by the energy holding company.