KEEPING THE ON

Energy Academy Partnership Generates Pipeline for Qualified Workforce

By Will Graves

Mississippi is a powerhouse in energy production. From Entergy’s Grand Gulf Nuclear facility in Port Gibson to the Chevron refinery near Pascagoula — one of the nation’s largest natural gas processing plants — the opportunity to find a great career is abundant and expected to grow.

In anticipation of job growth, career and technical education (CTE), business and civic leaders joined forces to create a strong career pipeline of new workers to meet Mississippi’s energy workforce needs. Through this collaborative effort, the Energy Academy model was born.

During the 2019 legislative session — through Senate Bill 2928, the Energy Academy Act, which was signed into law by then-Governor Phil Bryant — the Claiborne County School District (CCSD) and Vicksburg-War- ren School District (VWSD) received legislative approval to partner with the state’s energy industry to create a career academy geared toward completing the education-to-career pipeline in this sector.

This is great news for Mississippi residents who rely daily on every aspect of the energy industry for basic services and public utilities.

Using The Career Academy Model

VWSD CTE Director Dr. Terence James (in a news column local to his district) said he began intensively transforming its high schools to fit into the career academy model around 2017 with a plan to align individual educational achievement with student career goals.

“Academies are designed to ignite students’ passion for lifelong learning and to provide interesting, relevant and meaningful education,” James said. “Each student, in choosing an academy, begins aligning their learning with their vision for their career after graduation.”

For VWSD and CCSD, the Energy Academy has become crucial in helping students relate career interests with their academic and CTE courses. Beyond classroom learning, students can develop professional relationships with mentors, industry leaders and employers and secure a career in a growing field ripe with opportunities in the students’ backyard.

“Anyone who has flipped on a light in the middle of the night or walked into the coolness of an air-conditioned space on a hot Mississippi summer afternoon understands the importance of energy,” James said. “The ongoing need for more energy has created a powerful demand for trained professionals in the ever-growing field of energy. Better yet, energy sector careers are among the highest paying anywhere and range from $40,000 to $100,000 annually according to The Skills Foundation of Mississippi.”

Partnering With Entergy

The VWSD and CCSD Energy Academies officially launched during the 2020-2021 school year, and Entergy’s Grand Gulf Nuclear Station has supported the programs from the beginning.

Through the partnership, Entergy provides a varied curriculum of lectures, labs, field trips and research projects. With a focus on sustainable energy, students stay abreast of current and emerging technology trends in the energy sector. The Energy Academy’s model of pairing classroom learning with real-world experience is designed to connect students with internship opportunities in the industry and help in securing a job after graduation.

“Our goal is to provide opportunities for students to learn, live and work in their communities,” said Dr. Alex Washington, Entergy’s workforce development and diversity specialist. “After completing four years of the Energy Academy and getting a strong STEM foundation, we hope graduates will consider a trade school, such as welding or electrician programs, community college or a four-year degree. Throughout the Energy Academy, students will learn the pathways they can take to enter the energy industry. We’re very excited to partner with two school districts within a few miles of Grand Gulf, the fifth-largest nuclear plant in the world. The site provides so many learning opportunities.”

After the passage of Mississippi’s

Energy Academy Act in 2019, the two school districts began working with the Center for Energy Workforce Development and National Energy Education Development Project on an energy curriculum and national certifications that students can obtain before completing the program. The Energy Academy was modeled after VWSD’s existing career academy programs. Since its launch, both districts continue to receive support from Entergy Mississippi, the Mississippi Development Authority and the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.

Making Career Connections

At the surface level, the Energy Academy may seem like just another approach to workforce development. What is impressive about the program, though, is the potential for a student to completely change the trajectory of their life and where it may lead them through the variety of learning and networking opportunities. The holistic approach to connecting traditional academics with CTE courses and hands-on training supports a well-rounded education that promotes community prosperity, leadership development and educational equity.

The Hinds Community College (HCC) Vicksburg-Warren campus houses VWSD’s Energy Academy, allowing students to receive instruction from HCC faculty who have a shared teaching appointment with the school district.

Students also have access to a large shop where they work with large machinery and put their technical skills to practice. Energy Academy instructor James Ross teaches students how to read a voltmeter, run 3D printers, use hand and power tools and utilize CAD programming, just to name a few.

Energy Academy students can also utilize the HCC Vicksburg-Warren campus’ FAB Lab, a free resource made available to students and the community. Instructor Caitlin O’Brien introduces laser engraving equipment, a CNC router, vinyl cutter and much more to help students gain the skills that will set them up for career success in the energy industry.

Dr. Prentiss McLin, the academy business liaison and coordinator for the VWSD’s CTE programs, said the Energy Academy leadership team worked hard to develop a program model that provided the most innovative approach to meeting the needs of today’s workforce and, in turn, has connected students with vast career possibilities in the energy sector.

“The academy has introduced young people to the possibilities that exist in the energy industry when they are supported in the study of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics,” McLin said. “The district’s vision for each of its graduates goes well beyond walking across the stage at the end of their senior year in high school. The VWSD is committed to creating graduates who are prepared for college, career and life and encourages students and their families to explore the possibilities that CTE offers, especially in the area of energy careers.”