Constellation Energy has joined The Energy Providers Coalition for Education (EPCE). The EPCE is an industry-wide partnership working together to solve workforce development issues through industry-sponsored online education. In the next five years, approximately 50 percent of the energy workforce will be eligible to retire, creating a shortage of trained workers. EPCE and its partners are working together to create a pipeline of available workers while continuing to train existing industry employees.

"This partnership with EPCE will yield numerous benefits for Constellation Energy and our current and future employees," said James Rzepkowski, director of workforce development, Constellation Energy. "Having the EPCE programs available provides us with another tool to help meet our workforce development needs while making the most out of our valuable staff and training resources."

Expected benefits of the partnership include reviewing and assessing the EPCE curriculum to ensure that it is relevant and current. The EPCE curriculum can also be utilized as internal company training, providing a national standardized program while reducing training expenses. EPCE also provides a forum for networking with other industry professionals.

The EPCE-sponsored programs for the energy industry include online courses in electric power technology and nuclear power technology from Bismarck State College, nuclear energy technology from Excelsior College, and energy utility technology and natural gas distribution from Thomas Edison State College.