PPL grant to fund career exploration for high schoolers

A $5,000 grant from the PPL Foundation will support an event at Pennsylvania College of Technology to introduce high school students to opportunities in the building automation and electrical industries.

Pathways to Energy Management Careers will comprise a series of four hands-on sessions that showcase facets of those occupations, with a focus on energy management. A total of 64 students from grades 10-12 will travel to campus during the Fall 2023 semester for a keynote presentation, followed by rotating workshops on Programmable Logic Control, building automation, motor controls and electrical construction.

“The PPL Foundation is pleased to provide this grant to Penn College for this event,” said Tracie L. Witter, PPL's regional affairs director. “Career development and education is a priority for PPL to help enhance our communities and the experiences of our next generation of electrical professionals focused on sustainable energy management. Professional opportunities are endless in the electrical industry, and this is an opportunity to showcase a few pathways specific to energy management.”

Participants will complete pre- and post-event assessments to measure their understanding of the industries and technologies involved, as well as their interest in pursuing employment in those fields.

They will also be invited to complete an essay at the conclusion of the school day, sharing how the experience has impacted their consideration of career goals. The best essay, as determined by electrical technologies faculty who deliver the sessions, will be selected for a scholarship to attend Penn College upon high school graduation.

“We thank PPL and the PPL Foundation for this recent grant award that will help to promote careers in the electrical industry through a degree at Penn College,” said Elizabeth A. Biddle, senior corporate relations director. “The industry workforce continues to need more electrical professionals, and this partnership will help our faculty engage high school students in rewarding and transformational experiences that promote pathways to these growing careers.”

A Corporate Tomorrow Maker and generous contributor for nearly four decades, PPL is a member of the college’s Visionary Society ($100,000-$499,999).

Through strategic partnerships, the PPL Foundation supports a wide variety of nonprofit organizations in eastern and central Pennsylvania that are working to create vibrant, sustainable communities; that promote diversity, equity and inclusion; and that empower each citizen to fulfill her or his potential.

The foundation awards annual grants through a competitive application and review process.  To learn more, visit PPL's Communities page.

For more about electrical and building automation majors at Penn College, visit the School of Engineering Technologies or call 570-327-4520.

For more about the college, a national leader in applied technology education, email the Admissions Office or call or call toll-free 800-367-9222.