Cameron McCullum is still a teenager, but he knows how important his role with We Energies is.
“If there’s a big winter storm, who is going to fix all those frozen pipes or all the electric?” he asked. “People will be out of power. People will be out of heat. We need workers to keep our everyday lives going.”
McCullum learned about careers in energy while he was still a junior at Ronald Reagan High School.
After a competitive recruiting process, he was hired as a gas youth apprentice at We Energies and worked full time over the summer and part time during the school year. After graduation this summer, he was promoted to general laborer.
“It’s nice to have that feeling on my shoulders that everyone knows I’m dependable,” McCullum said.
Now, barely out of high school and already two years into his career, he’s helping students follow in his footsteps by volunteering at a special field trip to We Energies known as “Demo Days.”
The annual event gives high schoolers a look at what it takes to keep the lights on and energy flowing. Students learn how to operate a backhoe, stop a simulated gas leak and climb 20 feet into the air in a bucket truck.
It’s a good reminder that careers can involve many different paths — something Cornell Tate, a current line mechanic intern and senior at Golda Meir High School, was thrilled to discover.
“I feel like people that don’t want to go to college but still want a solid career should take advantage of this opportunity,” Tate explained.
As part of this program, We Energies also offers an apprenticeship in engineering design. After graduating high school and completing their apprenticeship, participating students are hired as pre-designers and continue to receive on-the-job training while attending Milwaukee Area Technical College.
To recruit future designers, We Energies holds a Careers in Energy Open House. This year, past participants of the program had the chance to speak directly to interested students.
“I find it very rewarding knowing how proud my family is of me,” said Derek Coleman, a former apprentice and now full-time designer with We Energies. “I love seeing the smile on my mom’s face when she tells people about me and my career choice.”
All of the youth interns and apprentices earn a paycheck while working alongside We Energies employees. In addition to learning a trade, We Energies offers them 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.
“I think it helps get kids off the streets, helps them get more involved in things that are for the better,” Tate said. “I plan on doing this for the rest of my life.”
To learn more about We Energies youth internships and apprenticeships, go to we-energies.com.