Local students broaden career opportunities with co-op programs

Lots of students spend their summers working, learning and investing in their futures. Three students, in particular, explored careers in the electric cooperative industry.

Dwayne Mitchell, now a senior at the Bradwell Institute, completed Coastal Electric Cooperative’s Learners Today, Leaders Tomorrow summer work-study program with the co-op’s Safety Department, and Richmond Hill’s Jeremiah Hearn in the Operations Department.

Dwayne assisted with HVAC and building maintenance, as well as landscaping. He also assisted line crews with residential service calls.

Jeremiah spent time with Coastal Electric Cooperative line crews—setting poles, pulling wire and helping with service calls. Operations Manager Jake Horton says Jeremiah “worked out very well, and I hope he pursues a career in linework.”

After high school, each student who completes the Learners Today, Leaders Tomorrow program will receive a $500 scholarship to their university or technical school of choice.

Jolie Claudio, a junior at the Georgia Institute of Technology, completed an internship with Coastal Electric Cooperative’s Engineering Department. According to Engineering Manager Chris Williams, Jolie spent the bulk of her time working on phase balancing the system, preventing distribution feeder losses and system stability issues. Phase balancing not only promotes Coastal Electric Cooperative’s electric reliability, but it also saves money.

Jolie also learned operation and programming of devices Coastal Electric Cooperative uses to protect the electric system.

Part of the students’ time working at the co-op was spent showing “Concern for Community,” in the spirit of Cooperative Principle 7. Every week, they devoted time to serve various community organizations.

In July, for example— their last service project for the summer—they assembled race packets for the 12th Annual Richmond Hill Red Hot Chili Pepper 5K/10K Rally benefiting Family Promise of the Coastal Empire. The mission of Local students broaden career opportunities with co-op programs Family Promise is to end family homelessness by providing emergency shelter and basic needs to families with children who are experiencing homelessness and assisting them to find housing.

Know a high school junior who might be interested in applying for the Learners Today, Leaders Tomorrow program or a college student looking for an engineering internship? Follow Coastal Electric Cooperative on social media to find out how to apply in Spring 2025.