Recruiters working to attract a new generation of workers to FirstEnergy met with potential employees at a job and career fair in Fairmont, W.Va. on March 19.

The outreach was a coordinated effort, with representatives of FEU Fleet Operations attending for regulated generation and individuals from Mon Power representing transmission.

“It was nice to have this collaboration to cover both aspects of our company,” said Ed Gibbs, Regulated Generation Training. “We have a lot to offer individuals who are seeking careers, with excellent and established training programs right here in the community.”

Fairmont’s Pierpont Community & Technical College partners with FirstEnergy in an Energy Systems Operation program where students learn about the operation and maintenance of power plant equipment and tools, as well as rigging and system troubleshooting. The school is also a partner in FirstEnergy’s Power Systems Institute program, which trains the next generation of line workers and substation electricians. Both are two-year degree programs combining classroom learning with hands-on training, designed to lead to positions within FirstEnergy.

In addition, FirstEnergy’s regulated generation Fleet Operations offers a Diversity Scholarship at Pierpont’s Energy Systems Operation program.

“FirstEnergy is committed to enhancing our diversity and inclusion companywide, and it’s critical to our success in power generation,” said John Stiner, Regulated Generation Training. “The scholarship is designed to encourage diverse candidates to apply and gain the education necessary to join our FirstEnergy regulated generation fleet.”

Recruiters say one of the challenges that FirstEnergy faces in seeking candidates is that many individuals mistakenly believe the days of traditional generation are numbered.

“A lot of individuals ask us about IT jobs,” Ed said, “and we can refer them to our online job openings. But our mission, when we attend these job fairs, is to let anyone looking for a good job know that FirstEnergy is committed to generating and delivering power in these communities for the long haul. And if you’re looking for a good career with a great company, we’d love to have you in one of our programs.”

You can find out more about the many educational and career programs sponsored by FirstEnergy throughout our territory by visiting our Student Opportunities page.