ORANGE, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In celebration of Lineworker Appreciation Day today, Avangrid Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company and a member of the Iberdrola Group, is announcing recent and upcoming efforts across its New York, Maine and Connecticut service areas to attract and train the next generation of diverse lineworkers. This includes investing in programs at Avangrid subsidiaries New York State Electric & Gas (NYSEG), Central Maine Power (CMP) and United Illuminating (UI). Lineworker b-roll can be downloaded here.
“At Avangrid, our lineworkers are truly some of the best in the business,” said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “Being a lineworker takes an immense amount of skill, knowledge, determination, and resiliency. Every day, they work hard to maintain and improve our grid, and after storms they are on the frontlines working tirelessly in harsh conditions to restore power to our customers. It’s a job that’s necessary to serve our communities, and we are committed to building a diverse pipeline of talent. We’re pleased to see so many students of all different ages and backgrounds engaging with our various programs across our service areas and interested in pursuing this career path.”
In New York, NYSEG has partnered with SUNY Broome Community College and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers to launch a Lineworker Training Program. That program kicked off this week at the NYSEG training yard in Binghamton, New York with 25 students. The program will combine classroom instruction of both technical and professional skills with hands-on training. The program will also include a paid internship and prepare students for in-demand skilled positions at a variety of employers.
In Maine, CMP partnered with Girl Scouts of Maine earlier this week to host a hands-on career open house at CMP headquarters in Augusta, Maine. This first-of-its-kind partnership featured a demonstration of lineworker skills, an opportunity for Girl Scouts to go up in a utility truck bucket, a tour of CMP’s Energy Control Center and a seed sorting activity centered around biodiversity. CMP also has partnered with Kennebec Valley Community College for five years to train and hire lineworker apprentices.
In Connecticut, UI announced today their investment in the second year of the Trade Internship program, formerly known as the Union Scholars Program. The 10-week paid program will provide eight rising high school seniors from four local Connecticut technical high schools with hands-on training in the electric utility industry. Students will receive one-on-one training with UI’s Overhead and Underground lineworkers throughout the program.
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $44 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs approximately 8,000 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2024, Avangrid ranked first among utilities and 12 overall. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2024 for the sixth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.
