Focusing On The Future: Chasing the dream with high voltage
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – PECO is providing real-life experience for young people interested in working in energy. It's a workforce development program where individuals have the opportunity to shadow and assist PECO employees.
At only 18 years old, Deshawn Goodwin is conducting a safety meeting at a PECO worksite with some supervision.
"OK, so we are going to be on Beaumont Road for a gas leak, as far as I know," Goodwin said.
He's working on becoming a gas mechanic one day.
"I enjoy what I do. I enjoy everything I do now, and I couldn't say that a few years ago," Goodwin said.
A few years ago, when he was a high school student, Goodwin would walk past the PECO building in Center City where he would stop every day to check the time.
"I'm just looking at it like 'oh, I got a little time or no time, either way, I'm running,'" Goodwin said.
Little did he know he was running toward his future.
Goodwin is part of the PECO's helper Pool Pre-Apprenticeship Program. For 14 weeks, select individuals take courses in safety, electric and gas basics along with a few other skills. There were 20 students in the first graduating class.
"They see that PECO truck, now they see it as going to an emergency or they are doing something within the community," said Keith Henderson, the PECO workforce development manager. "We are not just taking from the community, we are giving back to the community."
The program also comes with a mentor like Jeremey Mead, and over the weeks, the two have become good friends.
"When we first met, I took him to my house, introduced him to my wife to show him the quality of life that PECO affords us," said Mead, a PECO gas department supervisor. "I started in this industry as a maintenance technician. I've been an instructor, an operator. I've been in work management and now I'm in supervision. He'll have the opportunity to do and go wherever his career takes him."
And it doesn't hurt to have some sushi along the way.
"I asked him where he wanted to go for lunch. We were passing a sushi place and I said, 'you wanna grab some sushi?" and he never had sushi before and he was not shy. He ordered four things off the menu," Mead said.
"I kept the chopsticks," Goodwin said.
Along with the advice that hard work pays off.
As a helper, Goodwin will earn more than $20 to start, but for him it isn't just about the money.
"After every day I get to cut out somebody's lights or gas. It's good enough for me. I love to do what I do," Goodwin said.
Know an outstanding high school senior that deserves recognition? Let us know by completing the form below and we may select the student to be featured in our "Focusing on the Future" series.