North Carolina is the country's largest producer of renewable energy, and demand for jobs in this field is expected to grow. The goal of EnergizeNC is to begin preparing students to pursue these careers by exposing them to training and education outside of the traditional classroom setting. The program expects to launch this fall with between 150 and 200 participants.
"EnergizeNC is gaining a lot of momentum, and this donation from First Bank will not only help us serve more children, but also provides us with many of the resources we need for the program to be successful," said Greg Balog, the CEO of the Central North Carolina Council.
Youth enrolled in the program will meet twice monthly to learn about various types of renewable energy including wind, water, biomass and solar. Students will also take field trips to see real world applications of what they are learning and to meet with renewable energy professionals.
EnergizeNC will be taught by students enrolled in The Center for the Environment at Catawba College. Organizers hope this will help strengthen the college students' learning, but also allow them to serve as mentors and hopefully spark interest in post-secondary education among the middle school participants..
"First Bank is committed to helping all of the communities in this state thrive, and we believe EnergizeNC will provide a wonderful benefit not just for the students enrolled in it, but for the entire region," said Michael Mayer, president and CEO of First Bank. "We are proud to partner with the Central North Carolina Council and Catawba College in this endeavor."
