When some leaders talk about efforts to diversify their workforce, they cite a “pipeline problem,” which is the idea that there isn’t enough diversity or proper representation between an organization’s workforce and the communities they serve with the required background and training to fill their jobs.
At Exelon, we’re tackling this head-on. We know there are many talented people within our communities who are unfortunately unaware of the career opportunities at our company or in the energy industry. Through Exelon’s six local energy companies, spanning throughout some of the most diverse markets in the Midwest and mid-Atlantic (Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.), we’re proud of the 90 different workforce development programs we execute annually, designed to prepare adults and young people for careers that can support their families and their futures. In 2023 alone, we invested $18 million in these projects because we know they can make a real difference in Americans’ lives. They also set our company up for success, ensuring we have the talent needed to usher in the new era of clean energy.
We’re now focused on reaching one of the earliest parts of the pipeline: high school students. Expanding on our successful STEM Academy program for teen girls that has connected young people from across our jurisdictions, in order to offer new opportunities and help them envision a future career in STEM, we recently hosted 60 teen boys from across Exelon’s service territory — Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, my home state of Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. — for a free, week-long STEM program, better known as the Boys to STEM Academy.
Modeling Possibilities
Thinking back through the trajectory of my career, it’s simple for me to see where it all began. It started with an internship at a young age at what is now Exelon’s Philadelphia electric and gas utility, PECO. It was this opportunity that allowed me to put everything into perspective—from what I was learning in school to how it worked in practice in an actual career. It was that one opportunity that reminds me constantly of the importance of access to STEM education for all at a young age, in order to attract our future workforce.
"The Boys to STEM Academy has changed the way I view the world around me. The experience of acting as a project designer for Exelon made my team feel like we were truly contributing to something bigger than ourselves”, said Tyler Washington, 2024 Boys to STEM Academy participant. “That sense of connection to the community and the impact of our work made everything we learned feel relevant and powerful. It gave me a deeper understanding of how engineers can drive positive change in our society."
Exelon’s STEM programs help to contribute to the overall economic health of the regions that we serve every single day. Part of our company values is to deliver on a promise for economic equity. This means empowering individuals from an early start, so that they might go on to have sustained careers.
The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) found that students that attend STEM summer programs are more likely to enroll in, persist through and graduate from college. The NBER research also found that these programs increase the likelihood that students graduate with a degree in a STEM field.
The statistics show a specific need for boys, who are reportedly facing some academic setbacks. As the American Psychological Association (APA) reports “by the time boys finish high school, many lack the knowledge and skills required to succeed in higher education.”
These trends certainly make for a leaky talent pipeline. More importantly though, at a time when having a college degree or coveted technical skills are often key elements leading to family-supporting careers, this data shows we are failing to put our young men on a path for success. Solving this crisis is a business necessity for us.
Research from the National Center for Science and Engineering shows workers in STEM fields experience lower unemployment rates and earn higher salaries than the non-STEM labor force. That means getting more young men into science, math, engineering and tech is an effort that will pay societal and economic dividends – which is why Exelon’s STEM programs are so important. Weare offering students the chance to empower themselves and lay early foundations toward STEM and related technical careers.
Ongoing Mentorship and Support
Throughout these programs, participating students receive more than just hands-on training. They are given dedicated opportunities to connect and engage with a number of Exelon’s senior leadership team members, where they get to ask questions and gain a strong understanding of the importance of participating in the STEM program. In these conversations, it’s shared with students that the energy industry is evolving at a rapid pace and as we look to meet the growing demands of a changing climate, we need their talents, their abilities and their drive. It is not just their exceptional skills and viewpoints that are valued but as seen at the Academy, their ability to work creatively with others that make them crucial for the workforce of tomorrow.
"The Boys to STEM Academy didn’t just teach me about science and engineering; it taught me about myself. Through every project and challenge, I discovered new strengths and interests that I never knew I had,” said Silas Griffin, 2024 Boys to STEM Academy participant. “Speaking with all the different mentors made me realize that if they can achieve success in this field, so can I. This experience is just the start of my career, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next."
That’s why Exelon is committed to facilitating programs like the Boys to STEM Academy that allow students to participate in engaging challenges while also offering the chance to spend time with energy industry leaders who look like them. The program will extend well beyond the one-week that students in the inaugural program were on-site at the University of Maryland, College Park. Program alumni are now eligible to participate in our mentorship program, work at future STEM Academies and as STEM ambassadors in their communities, join regular educational and developmental opportunities, such as skills workshops.
This momentum began with our program for young girls. Since its inception in 2018, the Exelon Foundation STEM Academy has hosted 1,240 girls from across the regions that Exelon serves Exelon has provided full-ride scholarships to 28 students and 20 students have interned with the company just this summer.
We’ve seen firsthand how transformative workforce development programs can be. Exelon’s CEO, Calvin Butler is now leading the effort to ensure that we are home to a diverse group of talent because of the investments we’ve made over the last decade. We’re now mentoring those employees—in hopes of moving them to the c-suite—and developing more junior employees so they can move up the ladder as well. These leaders are not only the future of our company, but of the energy industry – and we believe these leaders can serve as a catalyst for the future of energy by investing in both our current workforce and the next generation.
At Exelon, our purpose remains focused on powering a cleaner and brighter future for our customers and communities. Our STEM Academies are helping us power that future, one student at a time.
