This summer, the Youth Energy Academy (YEA) organized a series of events across Florida to introduce young people, particularly those from minority and underserved backgrounds, to careers in the electric utility industry and related STEM fields. The program was supported by several organizations including Duke Energy Florida, Ocala Electric, SECO Energy, Orlando Utilities Commission, Siemens Energy, Gainesville Regional Utilities, and the Florida Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE).
Students participated in activities such as career workshops, virtual reality experiences, panel discussions, interactive games, live line demonstrations, and tours of generation sites. Locations for these events included St. Petersburg at the Duke Energy Bartow Power Plant; Ocala at the Lillian Bryant Community Center; Orlando and Winter Garden; and Gainesville at Gainesville Regional Utilities Complex.
Melissa Seixas, state president of Duke Energy Florida, said: “The energy industry is full of diverse and engaging career paths, ones that provide growth opportunities, an essential skillset and strong earning potential. The Youth Energy Academy is the best place for students to explore these rewarding options and discover how they can make a real impact in their community and beyond.”
Surveys conducted after each event indicated that most participants were more likely to consider a career in the energy sector following their experience with YEA.
Duke Energy Florida serves about 2 million customers across a 13,000-square-mile area in Florida. Its parent company Duke Energy operates electric utilities serving 8.4 million customers across six states and owns 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. The company continues to invest in grid upgrades and cleaner forms of power generation such as natural gas, nuclear energy, renewables, and storage technologies.
Further information about the Youth Energy Academy can be found at https://aabefl.org/youth-energy-academy/. More details on Duke Energy’s operations are available at https://duke-energy.com.
Photos from recent YEA events are available for download here.
For media inquiries contact Laitin Sterling at 800.559.3853.
