POWERGRAMS

40 Students from Birmingham's Jackson-Olin High School's Information Technology Academy got to see what it's like to live in Minnesota and Death Valley, California, in a five-minute span. They ducked into one of Alabama Power's "heated" environmental chambers in the Technology Applications Center (TAC) at the General Services Complex in Calera to feel 134 degrees. Then they marched a few feet away to a "cooled" chamber to feel 34 degrees below zero. The TAC tour was part of Alabama Power's ongoing, aggressive mission to show high school students the tools of the trade and give a real-life picture about a career at an electric utility. It seems to be working. "The tour was great and the kids were talking about it two days later," said Erik Batson, coordinator for Health, Science and Information Technology at Jackson-Olin. He said what caught the kids' attention was "the different types of engineering out there they were not aware of before they visited. Also, just the jobs these professionals were doing and what they had to know to do these jobs." To that end, he said, the tours are invaluable. "When they step out of the classroom into the real world, they get to see what possible careers and futures are out there for them." Among Alabama Power's outreach efforts, one of the most forward- thinking and impactful is giving tours of company facilities to high school students. One such effort is LEAP (Linemen, Engineers and Apprentice Programs), which is making students aware of opportunities in engineering, technology and skilled trades – which account for the majority of jobs at Alabama Power – and how to prepare for those jobs. Last fall, students from engineering academies at Hewitt-Trussville, Carver and Shades Valley high schools attended LEAP Senior Day, in which Alabama Power employee volunteers conducted mock job interviews and critiqued resumes in the career-preparedness event. In March, LEAP holds Career Day for impressionable ninth-graders at the 12th Street Headquarters, with hands-on exhibits and displays illustrating what it's like to work at an electric utility. "Our LEAP program has the dual purpose of helping these students understand what's out there and what it takes to get a job in engineering and skilled trades, and at the same time, helping us recruit new employees," said Brandi Vines, project manager at the Trussville Crew Headquarters. Another effort along these lines has come through Alabama Power's relationship with the Birmingham Education Foundation, an organization working to put Birmingham City School students on the path to "college, career and life readiness." The group has been helped by the Alabama Power Foundation since 2011, mostly involving financial support for high school engineering academies. In light of that relationship, Alabama Power has provided tours, including the TAC tour taken by Jackson-Olin students. "We know students walk away with a better understanding of the company and can begin seeing themselves in the jobs they're learning about," said Katrina Crenshaw Dada, program director for the Birmingham Education Foundation. Adds Alabama Power Community Initiatives Manager Hallie Bradley: "We seek to expose students to career paths and opportunities in our industry, and hope students will pursue a degree in math, science or engineering after touring a plant or enrolling in a career academy." For the past school year, in addition to the Jackson-Olin trip to the TAC, the Birmingham Education Foundation brought the Carver High Engineering Academy on three days in February and April to tour Miller Steam Plant, the Alabama Control Center and to job-shadow engineers. All four tours were facilitated by Alabama Power Transmission employees. "The Birmingham Education Foundation program gives Alabama Power the opportunity to have a direct impact in building the future of our youth," said Power Delivery Engineer Ryan Bradberry, who facilitates the tours. "Our goal is to introduce the students to the field of engineering and the opportunities that exist – not just at Alabama Power – but throughout the industry." Back at the TAC, Bradberry followed along as the Jackson-Olin students sprayed a powder coating on water bottles, then watched the powder adhere to the mugs in seconds via an electrostatic charge. The bottles were moved into an electric infrared heater where the powder coating melted into a liquid and dried in less than a minute. The tour stopped at the experimental indoor hydroponic farm where LED lights were growing lettuce and greens. Engineer Blair Farley told students the company is monitoring power consumption to determine the economic feasibility of watering and growing plants indoors year-round. Students later marveled at a 3D fabrication printer making plastic items out of liquid resin. Jackson-Olin senior Makahaya Samuel said what caught his attention was "the box rooms that had the temperature of the hottest desert and the coldest tundra." But he learned something, too. "This widens my perspective on certain career fields, and also shows me the career paths I could choose to take." Mission accomplished. Employees guided students through the facility in Calera. Tour includes plants grown inside TAC.

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