Citizens is keeping talented grads in the state—and in the industry
INDIANAPOLIS—Like most utilities, Citizens Energy Group of Indianapolis expects a number of employees to retire within the next few years. So, company officials are making sure replacements will be ready to step in.
Citizens has partnered with 11 Indiana universities in an effort to keep the kinds of graduates it needs in the state, Becky Schaefer, supervisor of planning for underground engineering and construction, told American Gas. Schaefer heads the Partnership for Excellence in Research and Learning, or PERL, program for Citizens.
As part of the program, Citizens identifies ambassadors within the utility who are willing to act as liaisons with their alma maters. The program also includes internships, classroom presentations, tours of company facilities, résumé reviews, mock interviews and the opportunity for students to tackle real-world problems that are suggested by Citizens employees, who then evaluate the solutions. “We offer professional development opportunities, and we want to show students how many exciting opportunities there are and how stable the industry is,” said Schaefer.
When the program started a year ago, it focused on the need for technical jobs like engineers. It has since expanded to mentoring graduating students interested in information technology, human resources, accounting, finance, supply chain and other industry needs.
The effort is already paying off, Schaefer said. Citizens just hired a natural gas engineer through the program.
“We wanted to be proactive and deliberate,” Schaefer said. “There’s a lot of talent in Indiana’s universities.” —Monica von Dobeneck