Eighty-five overhead apprentices take next steps to work on the grid; expansion of training will support future talent needs required to support America's most reliable utility
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ComEd today unveiled the newly built Libertyville Training Center, celebrating 21 trainees from the site's overhead electrical apprenticeship school. The Libertyville Training Center marks the 7th training center in the northern Illinois service region, highlighting ComEd's commitment to boosting training opportunities across the communities it serves to build a diverse and skilled talent pipeline needed to construct and maintain the nation's most reliable grid in the years ahead.
ComEd celebrates the largest overhead class to graduate to date – a total of 85 overhead apprentices graduate from basic school today, with additional graduation ceremonies held at the Chicago, Joliet and Rockford Training Centers. Expanding apprenticeship training is part of ComEd's work to prepare communities for the expected growth in the clean energy sector, with as many as 150,000 new jobs expected to come to Illinois by 2050 to support the clean energy transition.
"As we prepare to strengthen the grid to withstand increasingly severe weather tied to climate change and meet the evolving demands for clean energy, having a well-trained and diverse workforce is essential for delivering the infrastructure and service that over 9 million customers depend on every day," said Valerie Colletti, Senior Vice President of Distribution Operations. "We are thrilled to join the Village of Libertyville and industry partners in opening our newest training center, and we will continue to expand training that will allow more community members to take advantage of family sustaining careers and to play a key role in building the grid of the future."
"The Village is proud to work with ComEd as it brings forth a new state of the art training yard that creates new career pathways while providing a boost to our local economy," said Donna Johnson, Mayor of Libertyville. "I look forward to seeing the impact of ComEd's investments here in our community, attracting new talent and putting Libertyville at the center of training the future energy workforce."
Construction on the new Libertyville Training Center began in September 2023, preparing the existing headquarters to add a 64,000-square-foot outdoor training area for apprentices pursuing careers as overhead line workers – those who maintain and repair the electric grid that spans more than 11,000-square-miles. The outdoor space features a series of 40-, 45-, and 65-foot-tall wooden poles, a pavilion dedicated to rest time during harsh weather, and other practice electrical equipment. The headquarters, which houses general operations, field crews, and other activities also made space for a classroom large enough to accommodate the new electrical apprentices.
"More training support is essential to developing the talent pool of skilled craft workers needed to maintain and strengthen the grid," said President of IBEW Local 15 Chris Riser. "By expanding union apprenticeship opportunities, more local residents will have the chance to join rewarding careers that will play an important role in building a stronger, cleaner energy future for generations to come."
The Libertyville Training Center was completed in March and also benefits the north region as seasoned line workers serving the area will be able to respond to customer calls quicker if needing to deploy during their periodic refresher training.
"The clean energy transition in Illinois is creating more and better paying education and job opportunities that will bring economic prosperity to our communities of Lake County," said Kevin Considine, President and CEO of Lake County Partners. "Through the investment of companies like ComEd, the size and diversity of the local labor pool continues to grow, and we look forward to the future success of our community members interested in joining the clean energy industry."
In 2022, ComEd announced a three-year plan to hire 500 new entry-level trades workers. Since then, ComEd has hired 423 Construction Workers and Overhead Helpers – those starting their journey to become future line workers. Check back for job opportunities in overhead or other craft roles, and beyond at ComEd.com/Careers.
About ComEd
ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 200 energy company with approximately 10 million electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population. For more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.
Photos of today's announcement are available for download at:
Contacts
ComEd Media Relations
312-394-3500