Jennifer GroveGulf Power Company

Center for Energy Workforce Development –

Southeastern Region Meeting

Florida Energy Workforce Consortium

• First consortium to form in April 2006 to identify and develop solutions to meet the current and future workforce needs of utilities in Florida – now over 60 members

• Comprised of utility representatives, contractors, contractor associations, state and local secondary and post-secondary education representatives, state and local workforce system representatives, IBEW, and building trades

• Working Committees: State and National Outreach, Career Awareness, Policy & Education, Funding & Resources, and Untapped Pools of Labor

FEWC

Compete for a talent PUDDLE OR work to create a talent POOL!

FEWC: Why?

• Multiple hurricanes impacting Florida in 2004 & 2005 - Utilities role in storm recovery efforts

• Utilities current worker shortages & growing intensity of problem

• Founded in April 2006 to address utility workforce challenges collaboratively

• Co-led by Andra Cornelius, Workforce Florida, Inc. and Jennifer Grove, Gulf Power Company

FEWC: Who?

FEWC Membership:Industry: Florida’s IOU’s,

municipalities, electric cooperatives, associations, CEWD

Workforce: State and local levelEducation: Community Colleges, School districts, State Dept. of Education Organized Labor: IBEW

FEWC: Year One

• Validated high priority common occupations – shored up labor market data through FEWC member surveys – currently adding focus on “green jobs”

• Asset mapping and sharing – continue to visit and replicate through regional partnerships successful energy workforce development secondary and post-secondary programs

• Identification of energy industry as one of Florida’s “target industries” (makes state funding available to us)

• Creation of an Employ Florida Banner Center for Energy at Lake Sumter Community College for post-secondary power delivery and power generation education (with state workforce funding)

FEWC: Year Two

• Formation of committees: Executive; State and National Outreach; Policy & Education; Funding Sources; Untapped Sources of Labor

• Additional replications of high school energy career academies in Lakeland and Jacksonville

• Expansion of focus/ membership of FEWC to include contractors, contractor associations & building trades (joint meeting with SEMTA)

• Secured $1.5M of state workforce funding for industry in rural areas

• Creation of Banner Center for Alternative Energy

• Career awareness and outreach presence at numerous events

• Developed websites: www.getintoenergyflorida.com and www.fewc.com

• Implemented Get into Energy Florida! student career awareness branding campaign

• Formalized the governance structure/ membership categories/ dues for FEWC

• Continued engagement with various state energy and climate change committees to assist in education and outreach components of Florida energy legislation

FEWC: Year Three

• Pursue implementation of Florida version of CEFGA (Construction Education Foundation of GA) with dual focus on construction & energy – In partnership with FCURT– initial focus on implementation of Construction

Workforce Development Center

• ARRA funding opportunities

• Assisting with definition of “green job” for Florida

FEWC: Next Steps

Lessons Learned

• Underscore criticality of need among all partners—public & private: The “House is on fire!”

• Engage all critical stakeholders

• Growing Your Own is Best Solution– Enhance Career & Technical Education (understand

key policy role industry must play)

• Link Energy Industry to State’s Economic Development Priorities

Jennifer Grove

Gulf Power Company

jlgrove@southernco.com

850-444-6821