The CNX Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Pittsburgh-based natural gas company CNX Resources Corp., has created a new paid internship program designed to spur student interest in the power industry and bolster the energy workforce pipeline.
In cooperation with its Mentorship Academy initiative, the CNX Foundation developed the Short Service Employee (SSE) program to expose students to a variety of opportunities in the energy field.
“Students will emerge from this internship with marketable skills that are applicable across the energy industry,” said Shani Yeldell, community relations manager for the Mentorship Academy. “Our goal is to match them with full-time positions upon completion of the internship. It’s a path forward for them in the energy industry — one that can lead to a well-paid, family-sustaining career right here.”
The internship is open to Mentorship Academy students in good standing who have graduated from high school and expressed a strong interest in the energy industry, according to the foundation.
“The Mentorship Academy’s success is due, in large part, to the investment our mentors and partners have made in order to get these young adults in our urban and rural underserved communities ready for the workforce,” said Nick Deiuliis, CNX President and CEO and Mentorship Academy founder. “This internship is the next step in that investment.”
Over the five-month-long program, students will rotate through partners and organizations across the sector, obtaining resume-boosting experience and credentials that can help them jump-start their careers as trained, skilled employees, the CNX Foundation said in a July 1 statement.
In addition to CNX, area participating organizations include AES Drilling Fluids, Deep Well Services, Chemstream, Diamond Technical Services, Jennmar Services, M&A Resources, Nextier Completion Services, Precision Energy Services, and ShalePro Energy Services.
These companies will offer students hands-on field experience, allowing them to explore various aspects of the industry and identify their areas of interest.
“Our partners are willing to take the long road and invest in these students,” Deiuliis said. “In doing so, they are helping change our region and the future of our industry.”
The five-month program officially begins on July 22.