Portland General Electric green careers internship program to transition to longtime community partner, Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center

After nearly five years providing area youth with hands-on experience in the green career sector, Portland General Electric’s Project Zero internship program will transition ownership to longtime community partner, Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC).

PGE and POIC will celebrate the five-year anniversary and current internship cohort graduation at 5 p.m. at the World Trade Center on Thursday, Dec. 5.

PGE’s Project Zero internship program was developed in 2020 in collaboration with regional environmental, workforce, and youth development partners to meet the call of area youth looking to create cleaner, greener, and more equitable communities. Funded in part by PGE’s philanthropic arm, the PGE Foundation, the internship program supports individuals faced with barriers to success in school or work by providing an opportunity to work full-time for six months with local environmental justice and stewardship organizations.

Throughout the program, interns receive professional and career development coaching, as well as support from social service experts who address an array of needs ranging from homelessness to food insufficiency to transportation. Since the internship program’s inception, PGE has partnered with 43 community organizations to support 64 individuals in hands-on internship opportunities in the green career sector. Nearly half are now employed full-time in that area.

To meet the growing demand from area youth, PGE and POIC made the strategic decision to transfer the internship program ownership to POIC, an organizational leader in workforce development with a history of providing community-based training to underserved area youth and community members in the Portland-area.

“By working together with POIC and many other youth development partners, we’ve built an inclusive and innovative internship program that is driving our region's clean energy future forward,” said Kregg Arntson, executive director, PGE Foundation. “POIC has a long history of investing in area youth, especially those from underserved communities. The great leaders at POIC will continue to grow this program, shaping the green workforce and cultivating passionate advocates for a sustainable future.”

Since 1967, POIC has been committed to the success of underserved youth, adults, and families in the Portland-area, providing the highest quality services in education, employment training, community safety, and family wellness. PGE and POIC’s community partnership dates back to 2008. Throughout this partnership, the PGE Foundation has supported POIC community programs, such as culturally specific education and workforce initiatives and pre-apprenticeship programs. In addition, POIC was an early supporter of the Project Zero internship program and worked with PGE to develop the program. With deep roots within the community, POIC is an excellent fit to continue this internship program.

"POIC is thrilled to be working in partnership with PGE and take on Project Zero as the backbone organization. Green jobs are the future of workforce and POIC looks forward to continuing our work supporting young adults as they strive to enter the workforce in green careers,” said Megan Bell, POIC director of employment and training.

POIC is looking to develop more partnerships so that, in time, more young adults can be supported. The organization intends to scale up the number of internships available to the participants it currently serves and, in turn, work to place those interested in green jobs into educational pathways and actual careers once the internships are complete. PGE will continue to support the internship program, as one of many community partners, providing hands-on career experience for area youth interested in green careers.

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About Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center

POIC (Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center) was founded in 1967 as a local chapter of the OIC of America . From 1967 to 1983, POIC served as a community-based training center for adults, providing education, training, and job placement services to disadvantaged and underserved members of the Portland community. In 1983, it added an alternative high school, now called Rosemary Anderson Prep, in honor of its founding executive director. Annually, POIC serves over 3,000 students, trainees, and families across the Portland metro area. We remain committed to the success of underserved youth, adults, and families and provide the highest-quality services in education, employment and training, community safety, and family and wellness. Learn more at portlandoic.org

About Portland General Electric

Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is an integrated energy company that generates, transmits and distributes electricity to over 930,000 customers serving an area of 1.9 million Oregonians. For more than 130 years, Portland General Electric (PGE) has powered social progress, delivering safe, affordable, reliable and increasingly clean electricity while working to transform energy systems to meet evolving customer needs. PGE customers have set the standard for prioritizing clean energy with the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the country. PGE is committed to reducing emissions from its retail power supply by 80% by 2030 and 100% by 2040. PGE is recognized by the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the company’s commitment to creating a more equal, inclusive workplace. In 2023, PGE employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation donated nearly $4.6 million and volunteered over 23,000 volunteer hours to more than 400 nonprofit organizations. For information, visit portlandgeneral.com/news .