National Grid Regional Director Ken Kujawa, at left, introduces Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown at the Aug. 8 kickoff event. 

Northland Workforce Training Center is incorporating National Grid’s Grid for Good Candidate Pathway into its Summer Youth Academy. This partnership introduces around 130 students ages 16 to 25 in underserved communities to educational and career opportunities in clean energy.

The objective of National Grid’s Grid for Good program is to create opportunities and improve employability of those in underserved communities by joining its workforce with industry partners. Northland Workforce Training Center, in conjunction with Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown's Summer Youth Program, will deliver a six-week program to offer educational internship experiences focused on increasing participants' awareness of careers within both the advanced manufacturing and energy sectors. 

“Northland Workforce Training Center continues to create innovative, educational workforce development programs that support careers in the energy industry of the future,” said National Grid Regional Director Ken Kujawa. “Participants will have the opportunity to learn about our internal operations that include facility tours, presentations from National Grid executives, and hands-on lineworker activities. Our Grid for Good initiative has already hired multiple individuals that have enrolled in Northland training programs, and participants in the Summer Youth Academy will have that same opportunity.”

Stephen D. Tucker, President and CEO, Northland Workforce Training Center,
welcomes students on Aug. 8.

Two workforce training programs to be held at National Grid
National Grid is organizing two different workforce programs: the one-week Summer Youth Academy from Aug. 8 to 12 for 100 Northland students, and a second, two-week program for more than 30 Northland students that provides an electrical operations-focused work experience from Aug. 9 to 19.

“It’s always gratifying to see so many young people interested in pathways to STEM careers as Grid for Good prepares to once again sharpen skills and positively impact them, while at the same time enabling employers access to a diverse pipeline of talent,” said Dr. Carlene Lacey, Community Relations and Operations Manager, National Grid. “Through various partnerships and programs like Grid for Good, we’re building tomorrow’s workforce.”

Summer Youth Academy students will receive instruction and education about National Grid substations, overhead lines, renewable clean energy, underground operations, and customer meter services. The 30-plus students participating in the two-week program will receive hands-on experience on an electric system crash course, substation and equipment, new technologies, gas/electric safety, and emergency planning.

Northland Workforce Training Center is providing paid training for their Summer Youth Program along with a free NFTA Summer bus pass.

“We are excited to partner with National Grid to provide NWTC students and residents from underserved communities with an opportunity to learn about energy technologies and careers,” said Stephen D. Tucker, President and CEO, Northland Workforce Training Center. “Our partnership creates multiple awareness and exposure opportunities and connect participants to career pathways leading to high paying energy careers.”

Workforce development is growing throughout the city of Buffalo and its disadvantaged communities. With the renewable energy sector growing, these types of programs are essential for job creation, education, and growth.

“This tremendous partnership between my annual Summer Youth Employment and Internship Program, Northland Workforce Training Center,
and National Grid, is a wonderful example of a summer experience that could lead to a career pathway,” said Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown.

“The goal of this paid program for our city’s youth is to expose them to real-life work situations, and career opportunities, they likely didn’t know existed. I’m so pleased that 100 young people from my program will get this experience in the energy field.” 

Training programs like National Grid’s Summer Youth Academy and initiatives to educate individuals in underserved communities align with the company’s Project C initiative, through which the company seeks to inspire positive change, create positive neighborhood impact, and strengthen communities across New York.

For more information on Northland Workforce Training Center Programs please visit https://northlandwtc.org/programs/.

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