NYPA Launches 2022 P-TECH Summer Internship to Help Prepare Students for Clean Energy Jobs

For Immediate Release: 07/06/22

Contact: Alex Chiaravalle | media.inquiries@nypa.gov | (518) 860-9935

 

NYPA Expands Intern Education Program to Include More Students, Schools

 

Internship Opportunities to Support New York State’s Priority to Develop Pipeline of Skilled Clean Energy Workers

 

WHITE PLAINS—The New York Power Authority (NYPA) today announced the launch of a six-week summer internship with the Pathways in Technology Early College High School program (P-TECH) in an effort help students from disadvantaged communities develop professional skills needed to land jobs in New York’s growing clean energy workforce and economy. NYPA first partnered with P-TECH to develop an internship program last year, affirming the Authority’s commitment to encourage, create, and maintain a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce. This year’s paid internship expands on the original program—doubling the number of eligible participating students to 30 and partnering with seven schools, up from the three that participated last year.

 

“At NYPA, we are creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive public utility committed to securing a clean energy future for all New Yorkers, especially those in disadvantaged communities,” said NYPA Trustee Tracy B. McKibben. “In strengthening the P-TECH internship program, the Power Authority is ensuring that the next generation of industry leaders have all the tools needed to help drive the advancement of New York’s clean energy economy.”

 

“Achieving New York State’s ambitious climate goals requires a workforce that is as inspired as it is dynamic and diverse,” said NYPA Interim President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll. “By providing hands-on learning experiences to this unique group of students, NYPA is ensuring that the industry leaders of tomorrow are well equipped to create a cleaner, more prosperous energy future. Congratulations to this talented group of individuals. We are excited to watch your participation and leadership as we collectively transition to a clean energy economy.”

 

The program offers students the workplace skills, training, and educational credentials needed to land competitive jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. P-TECH combines rigorous coursework with workplace experiences that include industry mentoring, worksite visits and paid internships. The primary goal of P-TECH is to provide a high-quality STEM education and career preparation for all students. There is open enrollment and no cost to students and their families. Program partners support the students all the way through to the successful completion of an associate’s degree.

 

“SUNY is proud to be part of the P-TECH program and by working with organizations like NYPA, we can expand opportunities for more students from disadvantaged communities to join critical, high demand industries, like the clean energy fields,” said SUNY Interim Chancellor Deborah F. Stanley. “This internship will serve as a launching pad for students to break into a highly sought-after field that is not only beneficial to their careers, but will also improve our global climate and state economy. We thank NYPA for their partnership and we congratulate the students who were selected for this exciting opportunity."

 

“Many CUNY students hail from communities disproportionately impacted by climate change and environmental injustice,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez.  “It is fitting that they will once again contribute their talents and receive in-demand workforce training for careers in clean energy. CUNY is proud of our continuing partnership with NYPA and P-TECH in this innovative program, which will position our students to be the STEM sector leaders of tomorrow and help ensure that our nation’s renewable energy workforce is inclusive and equitable.”

 

P-TECH’s integrated curriculum brings together an industry partner, in this case NYPA, with a high school and local community college to educate students and ensure they have the skills required to enter the workforce after graduation.

 

WNY, CNY, Capital Region, and NYC Programs Train Students for Clean Energy Jobs

 

In Western New York, Central New York, the Capital Region and New York City, students involved in the P-TECH internship will work directly on NYPA projects with one-on-one mentoring and weekly skill development sessions. The students will work on the following projects:

 

• Western New York - Partnering with Be Solar P-TECH and Erie Community College (SUNY) to conduct an energy audit of two local NYPA customers—Surmet Ceramics and Buffalo News Press—to determine the associated energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions of energy efficiency upgrades.

 

• Central New York - Partnering with Oneida-Herkimer-Madison Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) P-TECH and Mohawk Valley Community College (SUNY) to gather data and map the vegetation along parts of NYPA’s transmission lines. Students will ultimately make suggestions on plantings or removal if the vegetation poses threats to the lines.

 

• Capital Region - Partnering with Capital Region BOCES P-TECH and Schenectady County Community College (SUNY) and Hudson Valley Community College (SUNY) to identify locations within the City of Albany to install smart sensors on existing streetlights to measure air quality, noise, vibration, temperatures, Wi-Fi availability. Students will present their findings and suggestions to the City of Albany.

 

• New York City - Students from EnergyTech High School (Queens) in partnership with LaGuardia Community College (CUNY) as well as students from City Polytechnic High School (Brooklyn) in partnership with NYC College of Technology (CUNY) will work on the following projects:

 

An energy audit of the Steinway Piano factory, considering energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions associated with energy efficiency upgrades.

 

A cost-benefit analysis to determine the most efficient systems to use throughout southeastern New York (SENY) facilities for fast, dependable communication

 

Research and data gathering on a local neighborhood to analyze the feasibility for new community distributed generation projects.

 

Development of an internal training for NYPA employees to learn about cybersecurity best practices.

 

The P-TECH partnership aims to increase the number of diverse students who pursue studies and careers in the utility industry. NYPA will act as an industry partner—offering workplace learning projects, paid internships, mentorship, career events and curriculum insight. The initiative furthers goals outlined in NYPA’s 10-point Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Plan.

 

The Power Authority’s partnership with P-TECH will provide young people from underserved communities an opportunity to help drive the transformation to a greener, more equitable future,” said NYPA VP of Environmental Justice Lisa Payne Wansley. “I have no doubt that this talented group of students will become the leaders of tomorrow.

 

The 2022 P-TECH summer internship will begin Wednesday, July 6 and run through Thursday, August 11.

 

"Reinventing our state's energy infrastructure will require training an entire new generation of talent on a short timetable,” said New York P-TECH Leadership Council Director Diallo Shabazz. “P-TECH is the bridge between high school, college, and industry that gives students the skills and credentials to be the future workforce of today, to meet New York's clean energy needs tomorrow."

 

“We are thrilled that local Capital Region P-TECH students are getting the opportunity to participate in NYPA’s internship program, which will help them gain real-world experience while also developing the region’s workforce pipeline,” said Mark N. Eagan, President and CEO, Capital Region Chamber and the Center for Economic Growth (CEG).

 

“Providing opportunities for growth along with personal and professional advancement for students is what Capital Region BOCES and P-TECH is all about,” said Joseph P. Dragone, Ph.D., Senior Executive Officer, Capital Region BOCES. “I am so proud that students like Danyal and Gavyn will have this opportunity to work alongside the team at New York Power Authority and gain the knowledge and experience that only an internship like this can provide. The work of the Capital Region Chamber and our business partners are the backbone of the educational experience at Capital Region BOCES, and I am glad that New York Power Authority is continuing the tradition of expanding the horizons for our students.”

 

"We are excited to kick off our second summer of internships with NYPA,” said Energy Tech High School Principal Hope Barter. “The fact that internships are project-based with real NYPA customers here in our community of Queens gives students an authentic experience and perspective of what it is like to work for NYPA and similar organizations. We are grateful to our partners at NYPA for their support and look forward to sharing in the learning our students gain through this meaningful opportunity."

 

“Each step of this opportunity including navigation of the interview process, working alongside professionals, immersion in industry projects, and 21st Century Skill professional development is invaluable,” said Work-Based Learning Coordinator for Buffalo Public Schools Erin Selig. “P-TECH BESOLAR students will leave with a competitive advantage over their peers and be able to make informed decisions about their long-term goals. This internship is a key component leading to a successful future.”

 

"When students engage in paid internships, it allows them to make connections between their coursework and possible future careers,” said Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES School Counselor and P-TECH Business Liaison Christina Warner. NYPA is providing a vital experience that helps students grow professionally and personally. Since one of the goals of P-TECH is to have students eventually employed by our business partners, this partnership allows students this opportunity even earlier."

 

For more information about NYPA’s P-TECH program, email Alexandra.DeRosa@nypa.gov in NYPA’s Environmental Justice department.

 

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New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan

New York State's nation-leading climate agenda is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Enshrined into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York is on a path to achieve its mandated goal of a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach economy wide carbon neutrality. It builds on New York's unprecedented investments to ramp-up clean energy including over $33 billion in 102 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce buildings emissions, $1.8 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $1.6 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. Combined, these investments are supporting nearly 158,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector in 2020, a 2,100 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011 and a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035. Under the Climate Act, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while ensuring that at least 35 percent with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities, and advance progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs of end-use energy savings.

 

About NYPA

NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. For more information visit www.nypa.gov and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and LinkedIn.