POWERGRAMS

16 that is expanding to Lawson State and Jefferson State community colleges to create similar opportunities for people in the Birmingham metro area. "I want to make sure that students who leave this program have the skill sets that you all want," Reginald Sykes told Peoples. "That's the whole idea behind this program and this partnership with Alabama Power." The 10-week program prepares students for careers in the utility industry. Bishop State's first class of 23 students had more than 100 applicants. All 23 students completed the program and are employed. Alabama Power hired eight of the graduates, Peoples said. "When you leave here, we absolutely know that you're ready for the workforce," he said. The Bishop State president called the program "way beyond successful" and said he envisions the college becoming a hub for workforce training, with industries "calling us now because of the partnership we have with Alabama Power." Mason said the training "gave me not only a job, but a career, something I'm going to have every day. It gave me something (so) I could take care of my family." For Hillie Sykes, the program was transformative, giving him an opportunity to move from challenging circumstances, including living in federally subsidized housing for the poor. "I was someone you would consider at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to, you could say poverty," he said. "I had to make a decision to consciously pull myself out of the situation that I was in. … It was a struggle actually telling myself I was going to be committed to a program that was going to foster a lot of good benefits, all of which I'm reaping right now." Peoples congratulated the two new Alabama Power employees. "We couldn't be happier to have you," he said. "When we take a look at the discipline and the overall initiative and effort it took to get you here, I just can't wait to see what happens for y'all." by Bob Blalock Sykes and Mason appeared in Shared Responsibility video from Aug. 24.

• Cover