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“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Ask young students this question and you’ll get a list limited only by their imaginations: astronaut, police detective, basketball player, or doctor. Over time, the list will narrow, influenced largely by careers encountered through family, friends, school, and the media. In partnership with Xcel Energy, Young Americans is working to open the door of possibility for students who visit Young AmeriTowne.
Before visiting Towne, students must interview for their Young AmeriTowne job. Each shop will always have a manager and an accountant. Other roles include, service technicians, reporters, and stock/delivery people, to name a few. These jobs are real-life career options, exposing youth to careers that might not be “traditional” for them. One of the most special jobs is serving as a technician for the Xcel Energy Utility Company.
The student technicians of Xcel Energy Utility Company help Young AmeriTowne workers search for and find energy-savings maintenance tips, which are scattered all around Towne. These tips include replacing traditional light switches with energy-saving motion detector switches, adding weather-stripping to windows, and turning down the room temperature. In addition to their maintenance work, Xcel Energy Utility Company employees build real, working circuits in their shop. They also experience supply and demand by selling products to their customers. These workers are learning how to be savvy users of energy, which will impact their own financial well-being as they transition into adulthood. The Xcel Energy Utility Company is a perfect shop for students who love movement, working with their hands, and staying busy.
Recently, Xcel Energy laid out a new sweeping plan for Colorado’s energy future. The plan, “Our Energy Future”, involves dramatically boosting the amount of renewable energy — both wind and solar power — on Colorado’s electricity grid. As a part of these efforts, Xcel Energy has also launched a new smart grid technology system which is transforming today’s traditional power delivery system into a digital, interconnected, modernized network. These upgrades create new ways for utilities and customers to work together to manage energy usage, save money and help the environment while improving reliability.
As we prepare our next generation of leaders, it’s vital that we are sparking their interest in career paths that might lead them to be a part of companies like Xcel Energy. The Young AmeriTowne experience is the perfect opportunity to light that spark, exposing students to various careers options. Thank you Xcel Energy for your support of Denver’s youth! Young Americans is proud to partner with Xcel Energy to provide these real-life experiences to over 25,000 young people each year through the Young AmeriTowne program.
