Twenty-six Atlantic City residents graduated from the 14-week Atlantic City Infrastructure Program, an energy workforce training program for city residents announced in September.
Developed by the city of Atlantic City and Atlantic City Electric, the program provides residents of Atlantic City a path to careers in the energy field, with a job opportunity for every program graduate with Atlantic City Electric or one of the company’s contractors of choice.
The program focuses on members from the underresourced population in Atlantic City, enabling participants to gain utility training and work-ready skills to prepare them for careers in the energy field.
“Through this program, these individuals were given an opportunity they may not have otherwise had to better their lives, and they grabbed the bull by the horns,” Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. said. “This was an intense course that required hard work and dedication on their end, and it makes me proud to see them be able to celebrate their accomplishments.”
“Programs like ACIP enable us to partner with organizations that understand, and are embedded in, the local community to expand opportunities and create a robust pipeline of talent from the communities we serve,” Tyler Anthony, CEO and president of Pepco Holdings, which includes Atlantic City Electric, said.
The Atlantic City Infrastructure Program builds on a broader six-year, $6.5 million South Jersey Workforce Development Program that Atlantic City Electric launched in 2018 in partnership with seven South Jersey community colleges and workforce development boards, and builds upon Small’s vision to provide Atlantic City residents the tools they need to build successful careers and thrive in the workplace.
The Atlantic City Infrastructure Program is a leading example of a corporate-community partnership that helps educate the state’s future energy workforce, resulting in positive impact on the livelihoods of individuals and families in Atlantic City while supporting the advancement of South Jersey’s economy.
“We are building a clean energy economy from the ground up. The state is taking advantage of our prime coastal location and leading by example to a future where clean energy is just called energy,” Zenon Christodoulou, commissioner of New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, said.
Participants in the Atlantic City Infrastructure Program began the 14-week program on Nov. 1, attending sessions two days per week for three hours each.
Program education was provided by Atlantic Cape Community College in partnership with the Atlantic County Workforce Development Board. The program will continue to take place twice a year.
