This summer, ComEd is partnering with a number of nonprofit organizations to offer more than 250 Chicagoland-area students opportunities to gain valuable work experience through internships and other educational programs.

For the second consecutive year, ComEd is partnering with After School Matters to employ 110 high school students through its Youth Ambassador program. The students, ages 14 to 18, will have opportunities to learn first-hand from industry experts about the benefits of smart meters and wise energy use. The students will then serve as ComEd ambassadors at local community events throughout the summer, helping peers, neighbors and residents better understand how they can take advantage of smart meter technology, as well as the simple steps they can take to better manage their energy use.

“I feel fortunate to have been able to participate in the Youth Ambassador program in 2013 because it transformed my future,” said Alan Nguyen, a Whitney Young High School student.

This summer, the utility will also launch two new student programs with the Urban Alliance and University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) program. Through Urban Alliance, ComEd will provide four high school and three college students with internships. Additionally, through the UIC STEM Program, 20 high school students will take on-campus engineering and STEM classes at UIC. This program helps students make a smooth transition from high school to college.

“At ComEd we believe it is our obligation to continually look for ways to implement and build on programs that provide tangible benefits to the communities we serve,” said Anne Pramaggiore, president and CEO of ComEd. “These summer programs serve a dual purpose. They help students acquire job skills and learn more about career choices in the energy industry, while also allowing us to engage the future workforce.”