General

Internships allow educators to learn about energy careers

High school educators are among the first to help a teenager decide what career they will choose after graduation. It’s an important decision that could affect the rest of their life.

Last week, eight educators from local school districts spent a week at OPPD learning about the variety of careers available at a utility. The Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Metropolitan Community College and Iowa Western coordinate the internships. The week immerses teachers in the work of an area employer so they learn first-hand about STEM-related careers.

Covering many areas

The teachers’ week at OPPD included an education about energy delivery and alternative energy sources, a panel discussion with OPPD’s Legacy I3 interns, a hands-on demonstration of line technician work, a tour of OPPD’s North Omaha Station power plant and meeting with utility employees in energy marketing and finance departments, among other activities.

OPPD previously hosted educators for this program in 2015, 2016 and 2017.  Covering all aspects of the utility gives the educators a broad picture of the work done at OPPD.

“They can take back knowledge and opportunities to share with their kids,” said Sheri Stanek, senior Human Capital consultant and coordinator of the tours. “It shows them that there are more than linemen working at OPPD.”

Brian Hull, a skilled trades sciences and business teacher at Millard South High School, said he plans on incorporating what he learns into a lesson plan to be used next school year.

After his tour of OPPD’s Elkhorn Service Center, Hull was most surprised by the amount of materials OPPD must have on-hand to serve its customers.

The educators were from the following high schools:

• Atlantic (Iowa) High School
• Omaha Northwest High School
• Millard South High School
• Millard Public Schools Young Adult Program
• Omaha’s Blackburn High School