Innovative
When she began at PG&E in 2007 Deidre was asked to share her ideas to help the company’s new Director of Workforce Development address the company’s anticipated need for electric and gas system workers. Like many utilities, PG&E was anticipating the retirements of many skilled trades workers. In response it was going to launch a bridge skill program for those with the desire to have a career as a lineman, gas system worker, or related skilled trade but did not quite have the pre-requisite base-knowledge or physical training. The goal was to identify those in under-represented communities in the Bay Area who could be enrolled in the training programs.
Deidre suggested that the company focus on former military members, many of whom had recently been discharged from the service after having served in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other regions. She observed that many of these veterans came from the region’s underrepresented communities and were age qualified, fit, understood physical hardship and the need to follow safety protocols. She reasoned that former military personnel were ideal for working on utility electric and gas systems because they could perform well in high risk and physically challenging situations. In response to the director’s concerns about funding and partnerships, Deidre noted that the State of California had a veterans affairs office and a budget to assist California veterans in career retraining and combining PG&E funding with state funds and more regional education training programs and community colleges would almost certainly be successful.
As a result of Deidre’s suggestion, the director secured state funding and partnerships with community-based workforce development programs to launch a unique veterans-focused training element that successfully recruited California veterans, many from under-represented communities, and was recognized by the Obama Administration for aiding veterans’ successful transition to livable wage career jobs. According to PG&E, within its first three years 150 veterans completed the program.
