As the state and the nation experience an AI and high-tech manufacturing boom, the demand for experienced utility workers is growing.
That is why We Energies is committed to helping Milwaukee-area high schoolers find their calling early.
John Woodburn is just 21 years old and already several years into his career. He started as a gas distribution apprentice his junior year of high school and has quickly worked his way up the ranks at We Energies.
“I really enjoy the work that we do day in and day out,” Woodburn said. “There’s never a dull day. Every day is something different.”
He got his first taste of a career in energy at Demo Days, an annual field trip designed to give students a hands-on demonstration of what it takes to keep the lights on and energy flowing.
Students learn how to climb electric poles, operate a backhoe and rise 20 feet in a bucket truck as they vie for a handful of openings as line mechanic interns and gas distribution apprentices.
Woodburn remembers his experience at Demo Days like it was yesterday.
“I really liked excavating. I enjoyed operating the machine. I also really enjoyed wrenching,” Woodburn said. “I knew I was going to be a gas worker.”
Recruiting the next generation
Hundreds of students took part in this year’s field trips. Around a dozen will become interns and apprentices, earning a paycheck and working full time over the summer alongside We Energies employees.
Gas distribution apprentices will follow in Woodburn’s footsteps. After they graduate high school and successfully complete the program, they are hired on as general laborers right away.
Line mechanic interns will learn what it takes to build, maintain and repair the electrical grid while in high school, and after graduation, many choose to attend line school at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) before applying to work at We Energies full time.
For high schoolers looking for a more traditional office job, they can apply to be engineering design apprentices. After graduation, successful students are hired as pre-designers and continue to receive on-the-job training while attending MATC.
All three programs are an excellent opportunity for students who are not interested in a traditional four-year college degree — and a steppingstone to well-paying, in-demand careers.
Dozens of interns and apprentices have gone on to work at We Energies full time after graduation.
More than an internship
In addition to learning a trade, We Energies offers interns life coaching that focuses on boosting confidence, increasing self-awareness and building resilience. Students take money management courses, are given interview and resume training, and are paired with an employee who serves as a life mentor — a combination that has proven to be life-changing.
Woodburn quickly progressed from general laborer to distribution worker. And now, likely just months away from his next promotion, Woodburn is back on the training grounds where his career began, helping the next generation find their path.
“It’s very exciting to be here and see this. These students have so much ahead of them if they get in here.”