United Illuminating, the Connecticut utility subsidiary of Avangrid Inc. (NYSE: AGR), has teamed with the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) Local 470-1 on the new Union Scholars Program, a 10-week internship for nine high school seniors to receive training in electric utility lineworking.
The Union Scholars Program is designed to position the electric utility industry in providing offers of employment to the students, contingent on their successful completion of the program, high school graduation and being 18 years of age or older. Five of the Union Scholars will graduate next year from Eli Whitney Technical High School in Hamden and four will graduate from Bullard-Havens Technical High School in Bridgeport. During the summer, they will receive training with the Overhead Line School and Underground Line School apprentices, and their supervisors at United Illuminating will connect them with line crews doing operations and maintenance work in their own communities.
“I am pleased to welcome nine talented students to Avangrid for the summer to take part in our company”™s first-ever Union Scholars Program,” said Pedro Azagra, CEO of Avangrid Inc. “With the challenges our industry faces, from making our systems increasingly sustainable while ensuring top-notch reliability, it is critical that Connecticut”™s best and brightest join our team, and that is exactly what these Union Scholars represent. I am proud they have chosen to work with us this summer, and the door is open to them for future opportunities within our company.”
