Dominion Power 2011 Annual Report Download - page 19

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A workforce challenge awaits the
utility industry, a recent survey
commissioned by the Center for
Energy Workforce Development
(CEWD) has found. The figures are
alarming: The CEWD says that nearly
200,000 workers, or more than
one-third of the utility workforce,
may retire in the next five years.
Electricity is the most important
product Americans consume — and it
is critical to national security, economic
development and the American way
of life. Facing a potential workforce
crunch, our industry must keep the
lights on and the data flowing.
And, who better to protect national
security and our way of life than those
transitioning from military to civilian life?
First, veterans are more likely
than the average American to be
unemployed. In 2010 alone, the federal
government spent almost $1 billion
on unemployment benefits for
veterans — “a national disgrace,”
CEO Tom Farrell says. Second, a
steady supply of transitioning veterans
exists; the U.S. Department of Labor
estimates about 200,000 men and
women will be leaving the service
annually over the next decade. Third,
veterans possess the skills that we
need — a focus on safety, discipline
and commitment to community.
Enter Troops to Energy Jobs,
a program joining with other utilities,
institutions of higher education,
unions, the military and federal and
state agencies to help place those
leaving the military into good,
high-wage energy jobs.
The Dominion pilot project began
in March 2011. The company hired
about 100 veterans in 2011 and
employs nearly 1,300 veterans in
14 states.
Our Troops to Energy Jobs program is looking for a few
good men and women to swap their helmets for hardhats.
Veterans
possess the
skills that
we need —
a focus
on safety,
discipline and
a commitment
to community.