For more than four years, Alliant Energy and Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG) have joined hands with a shared mission: inspiring high school students to follow a career path in technical energy. Alliant Energy, through its online high school program, Introduction to Energy Basics, provides the technical training, while iJAG identifies interested students and offers mentorship for their success.
Breaking new ground, Alliant Energy recently hosted the Women in Technical Energy Careers event. In collaboration with training partners Iowa Valley Community College District and iJAG, Alliant Energy held the event at its Iowa Technical Training Center earlier this month in Marshalltown. Out of the 83 attendees, a significant 50 were iJAG students ready to shape the future of technical energy careers.
“Many girls are unaware that great career paths in energy exist,” said Lori Wildman, an Alliant Energy Training Specialist. “This event was created just for them, so they try on these careers.”
Keith Jones, Manager of Technical Training at Alliant Energy, noted the day was built intentionally to attract young women to these careers, as nationwide, only 6% of line mechanics and 16% of gas mechanics are women.
The Alliant Energy Iowa Technical Training Team was on hand to talk about and demonstrate skills needed in energy tech jobs, and four female employees shared their career experiences with the attendees.
“Women are underrepresented in the energy industry as a whole,” says Carly Harper, Director of Development at iJAG. “Great employers like Alliant Energy are taking an intentional action through events like Women in Technical Energy Careers. Providing young women with industry knowledge and hands on experience where they can see themselves fitting into a company will be a game changer for the industry.”
Attendees learned about Introduction to Energy Basics, Alliant Energy’s free interactive online program for high school juniors and seniors. The 10-week program provides students with an insider’s look at the energy and utility industry, including apprenticeships. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to apply for a 5-week paid summer internship at Alliant Energy.
Costs for many Alliant Energy Iowa training programs come from state and federal grants. “We spend very responsibly in this department,” Wildman comments.
The grant funds allow the company to keep training programs such as Introduction to Energy Basics and others free for participants.
“With more than 170 years of combined experience in our training team, we are recognized for our quality training that produces safe workers – and that’s important to customers!” Jones concluded.
As a company committed to workforce readiness, Alliant Energy is proud to support iJAG as it unleashes the potential of women onto energy and utility career paths.
