Energy, construction industry workforce gains 36 new graduates from ComEd job training program
After navigating ComEd’s 2022 CONSTRUCT Business Operations Academy program, 36 new graduates have entered the energy and construction industries workforce, newly qualified for and seeking work in entry-level administrative and project coordinator roles.
The program focuses on core competencies for the workforce and represents ComEd’s ongoing work to scale job training and education programs to meet modern needs. It was launched last year. Each class runs for six weeks, including basic project management training, professional office skills development, a capstone project focused on industry-specific case studies, and job placement and support services from ComEd and its workforce agency partners.
“To ensure a pipeline of diverse, skilled, and local talent that will power the clean energy transformation in Illinois, ComEd is deeply invested supporting and expanding job training and education programs,” Louie Binswanger, SVP of governmental and regulatory affairs at ComEd, said. “Programs like the CONSTRUCT Business Operations Academy play a critical role as we work to connect more residents to skills training needed to take on jobs in energy and infrastructure. Congratulations to the graduates for completing this program which will prepare them for meaningful, well-paying careers in our field and a chance to impact their communities for the future.”
Diversity is also a major focus of the initiative. In its first class last year, the program hosted primarily Black women, while the current graduating class included nearly 90 percent minority graduates, and 21 of the 36 students were women. Efforts have been backed by several workforce agencies in Illinois, including Cara Collective, the Chicago Urban League, the Quad County Urban League, the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, and INTREN. INTREN also funds the program alongside ComEd.
Those who successfully complete the CONSTRUCT program gain a $1,000 stipend and a Business Operations 101 certificate from St. Augustine College. Agency supporters also set graduates up with networking opportunities for roles in local utility or construction companies. When paired with other job training and STEM education programs, ComEd stated, such efforts directly benefited nearly 1,700 local residents last year.
