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Energy & You
By Karl A. Parker, MBA, P.E
President & GM, Parker Family of Businesses
The Truth Contributor
Greetings! Welcome to the fourth Energy & You column! As a
reminder - this column shares a variety of information to
help our readers understand the energy and sustainability
landscape and provide guidance on how to REDUCE energy
costs.
Before I begin the overview of jobs in the energy industry
allow me the opportunity to announce the following: First
Energy is suspending its energy efficiency program December
31, 2014!! This means that First Energy will no longer offer
rebates and incentives for small and medium-sized customers
in 2015.
Mercantile customers (large energy customers) will continue
to enjoy a variety of rebates and rate discounts. However,
First Energy will HONOR and provide REBATES on ENERGY
PROJECTS that are PRE-APPROVED before DECEMBER 31, 2014!!
This means that energy assessments and projects that save
energy will be funded if carries over into 2015, as long as
it is was approved before 12/31/2014.
Call First Energy/Honeywell at 1-888-243-6808 for details.
Alternatively, call 419-486-9273 to receive assistance with
getting your project pre-approved before December 31, 2014.
This week’s Focus – Energy Careers and Jobs
Someone recently asked me: KP why are you so interested in
the energy industry? I saw your article in The Truth and
heard that you held a conference on energy at UT. Is it
because you are an electrician? Didn’t you take electrical
construction at Macomber?
Me: Yes, I went to Macomber studied electrical construction
and went on to become a licensed journeyman electrician.
However, I am not a practicing electrician anymore.
Them: Didn’t I see you doing electrical work at Vistula on
Cherry?
Me: I smiled and said: No. You saw me checking on some of my
colleagues who were working on a project there. I am now a
licensed professional engineer with an MBA, who owned an
electrical contracting company that electricians worked for.
Them: OHHH! I was wondering what you were wiring up stuff
with a suit jacket on!!!
Me: That’s hilarious!! We don’t do that work anymore.
Them: Why?
Me: It was too asset intensive, low margins and beset with
political issues. We recreated our business model to focus
on energy, education, engineering and execution (strategy).
Them: But didn’t you also teach electrical classes at The
Doug?
Me: Yes we did. Now we teach them at Scott High School on
Monday and Wednesday.
Them: So how is this related to energy and why are you so
interested in energy again?
Me: Because the energy industry is growing as the USA is
becoming a growing player in the global energy market thus
creating a variety of employment and business opportunities.
Them: Are they hiring? Do people of color have a chance of
getting hired?
Me: Yes. The energy industry is definitely hiring. The clean
and renewable energy segment and the traditional fossil
fueled based segments both need employees today!
Them: How do I learn more?
Me: Read my column in The Truth next week and you will
direct you to a host of sites where you can find where and
how to get a job in the energy industry.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) published on its
website at
www.api.org an employment report created by HIS Global
Inc. : ‘ Minority and Female Employment in the Oil & Gas and
Petrochemical Industries ‘ that provides a detailed look at
the jobs that are available for African American, Hispanics
and women.
Four types of job opportunities are considered:
1) New jobs that are projected to be created under a
baseline forecast of the expected growth of these
industries,
2) Job opportunities that will likely be created due to the
need to replace workers who retire or otherwise leave these
industries over this period,
3) Jobs created by projected capital investment in the
transportation and storage infrastructure of the oil and gas
industry and in the petrochemical industry and
4) Jobs that would be created under a scenario for more
accelerated development of the upstream oil and gas
industry.
According to the report an additional 73,000 jobs will be
available for African Americans by 2020 and 202,000 for
Hispanics. That is a lot of opportunity! Especially since
the wage range is $30-$150/hr! Also check out
www.rigzone.com for additional career opportunities.
It not just the oil and gas industry that is hiring. The
clean renewable energy is hiring as well. According to
Fierce Energy (www.fierceenergy.com)
over 72,000 green jobs are available today. A green job as
defined by U.S. Department of Labor -- Bureau of Labor
Statistics (BLS), are either: jobs in businesses that
produce goods or provide services that benefit the
environment or conserve natural resources, or jobs in which
workers' duties involve making their establishment's
production processes more environmentally friendly or use
fewer natural resources.
American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE)
www.acore.org is the organization that is similar to
API in the green energy sector. Unfortunately, the green
job sector does not appear to have a robust plan or strategy
similar to the oil and gas industry to ensure that African
Americans and Hispanics have enhanced opportunities to find
gainful employment.
Green For ALL, founded by Van Jones, continues to advocate
on behalf of historically underrepresented populations to
obtain careers or business opportunities in the green
economy. Learn more at
www.greenforall.org.
The energy industry is growing and needs new employees
throughout the entire value chain. I encourage our readers
to visit the websites listed here to discover an industry of
high paying jobs and careers that is looking add minorities
and women.
Next article will review where to obtain training to cross
over into the energy industry and introduce our readers to a
trail blazing leading organization: The American Association
of Blacks in Energy (AABE).
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