A True Commitment to Utility Service

by Lila A. Jaber

It is refreshing to see the many ways the energy industry’s commitment to service manifests itself, including in the form of educational opportunities for those eager to join the utility workforce.

At the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) Florida Chapter meeting a couple of weeks ago, I met William “Bill” Bosch with the Florida Campus of the Northwest Lineman College. He spoke about the number of ways the College facilitates funding opportunities for prospective students and the training the College affords young people to work in the energy industry. Not long after, I heard the news that the Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA) board of directors established an electrical lineworker scholarship in honor of its former chairman, Reginald Hardee. The annual scholarship will fund a nine-month internship and is a tremendous opportunity for all graduating seniors interested in entering the electric utility industry.

As energy charges forward to find increasingly effective ways of serving the needs of our neighborhoods, there is a similarly ever-increasing need for skilled professionals in the industry. Many are stepping forward to help fulfill this need. I encourage you to stay updated on this upward trend and get engaged however possible, whether it is by being sponsors of such initiatives, benefiting from these efforts as part of our up-and-coming workforce, or finding your own ways to support the momentum.