Attending college isn’t something you just happen to do. It takes commitment, hard work and the support of those around you. Unfortunately, for many students in our under-served communities it is the latter that they are missing. The Barrio Logan College Institute (BLCI) with the help of San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and the Sempra Energy family of companies is trying to change that.
Developing future leaders
SDG&E partnered with BLCI to help students realize that college and ultimately a prosperous career can be in their future. Over the course of three months, SDG&E hosted a series of events designed to introduce students from the third grade through 11th to energy industry and the different career opportunities within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
“We really wanted to expose students to real world jobs, help them make the connection as to why their education is important to their future and support them as much as we can,” said Ceci Cazares, SDG&E Human Resource coordinator.
Program kicks off with SDG&E tour
The first event was held late January at SDG&E’s Energy Innovation Center for students in elementary and junior high. They students were given a full tour of the center including the Smart Home and commercial kitchen.
In February, all of the students were invited to attend a Career Fair held at the Barrio Logan College Institute’s facility. Representatives from across the Sempra Energy family of companies in the areas of accounting, engineering and human resources were on hand to expose students the different jobs at SDG&E and the skills needed to obtain a career in a company like Sempra. The fair was also intended to help give students a better idea of what college major would align with their interest and goals.
A group of 15 high school students were treated to a more interactive experience thanks to a few of SDG&E’s accounting and engineering associates. The students were tasked with creating a marketing campaign to increase a mock-university’s recruiting effectiveness. With the help of their SDG&E mentors, the students developed their plans and pitched their ideas to a panel of judges. This proved to be a great opportunity for the students to practice their creativity, team-work and public speaking skills.
The last event was held on April 3 at SDG&E’s Mission Control Center. A group of students from sixth, seventh and eighth grade were invited to tour the Center. By the smiles and look of intrigue on the students faces, it was evident the trip was a success.
Beyond volunteerism
“We have been honored to support the BLCI with not only our time, but also our financial resources,” said Warren Ruis, SDG&E community relations manager.
In addition to our employee volunteerism with BLCI, SDG&E has been a proud supporter with charitable dollars to the organization. Since 1996, the Sempra Energy Family of Companies have provided over $100,000 in shareholder contributions to BLCI to highlight our commitment to develop the next generation of youth leaders. In 2012, SDG&E funded a collaborative project with MANA de San Diego which takes young Latinas who are students at BLCI and pairs them with a community leader in the Hermanitas program at MANA. Through this program, young girls get not only the college and academic attention at BLCI, but real-world mentoring with a MANA mentor.
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