Deon Clark was like a kid in a candy store at PECO’s third annual Junior Infrastructure Academy, held last week at Widener University.

With a broad smile on his face, he enthusiastically participated in the hands-on learning activities and absorbed the live demonstrations on how to work safely in the energy field.

“PECO doesn’t just have jobs; they have careers — and so many of them,” said Clark, a senior at Delaware County Technical School (DCTS) who particularly enjoyed learning about PECO’s use of drone technology. “There are so many different things you can do there. It was cool to talk to the employees and hear their stories, hear about the culture of the company. It’s a place where I’d love to work.”

Clark was one of more than 80 students from six different local high schools — DCTS, Chichester, Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast, Chester, Chester’s STEM Academy at Showalter, and Upper Darby — to attend.

The Junior Infrastructure Academy is part of PECO’s commitment to empowering the workforce of the future, with a focus on students who are interested in careers in the energy industry. The first two events were held at Bucks County Community College (2023) and Montgomery County Community College (2024) and showed students that there’s more to the field than just hard hats and power lines.

“For starters, when people think about PECO, they immediately think of electric and natural gas,” said Carniesha Kwashie, PECO’s Director of Corporate Community Impact. “But we employ more than 3,000 people in a variety of roles. We have engineers, IT specialists, social media, marketing, legal, HR and talent acquisition, customer service reps, a vegetation department — the list goes on and on. And, since PECO delivers power to nearly 1.7 million electric customers and more than 553,000 natural gas customers here in southeastern Pennsylvania, they all play an important role in making an impact on everyday life.”

As a female pursuing in a career in the trades, Lyra Cox, a junior at DCTS, noted the diversity of PECO’s workforce.

“They have men and women, people of all ages and colors,” said Cox, whose interest in the trades was sparked by a mechanics class at Upper Darby. “I could definitely see myself working at PECO.”

“By exposing students to the energy industry early, we’re building a pipeline of talent that reflects the diversity and drive of our region,” said Kwashie. “We want young people to see themselves in these careers and know that there’s a place for them here.”

Widener University administrators were happy to host the Junior Infrastructure Academy.

“We have a longstanding partnership with PECO and are grateful for their support,” said Pamela McCauley, Dean of Widener’s School of Engineering. “Today’s event allowed students to see engineering in practice and how it impacts our lives. The students here deserve a round of applause. Our infrastructure is going to need their talent and contributions for years to come.”

McCauley mentioned Widener’s newly launched Construction Management major as an option for students interested in continuing their education. This interdisciplinary program combines technical construction knowledge with business administration and emphasizes communication skills.

“Our relationship with PECO and all of our community partners gives students access to apprenticeships and, really, the opportunity of a lifetime,” she said.

“We want young people to get excited to work in our sector,” said Kwashie. “The possibilities are endless.”

Learn more about how PECO works with problem-solvers, innovators, community-builders, and changemakers to deliver solutions that make our communities stronger, healthier, and more resilient.