AntFarm to launch new career development program, part of a $413,000 funding round from the PGE Foundation Career Pathways grants

AntFarm, a workforce development nonprofit, is launching a new program with support from the PGE Foundation. In total, the PGE Foundation awarded more than $413,000 to 22 nonprofit organizations across Oregon through its Career Pathways grants.

Nearly a year after partnering with PGE’s vegetation management team to demonstrate to young arborists how to safely trim and clear trees near powerlines, AntFarm is cultivating growing interest from young arborists in a career as utility arborists.

Project ArboReady will be an eight-week paid training program that prepares young people, ages 18–25, for a career in arboriculture and wildfire mitigation.

“Wildfire is a growing risk in our region,” said PGE Senior Manager Vegetation Management, Alex Konopka. “Training the next generation of arborists how to use vegetation management best practices to keep our communities safe is a critical part of the workforce of the future in Oregon.”

AntFarm’s program combines classroom learning with hands-on fieldwork, offering instruction in chainsaw safety, fuels reduction, wildfire behavior, and tree identification. Participants will earn certifications, receive professional gear, and complete work experience on wildfire mitigation projects that protect at-risk homeowners in the Mt. Hood Corridor.

AntFarm Deputy Director, Neal Hatley believes this program will help serve as a pipeline to a career in Oregon’s growing green workforce and connect graduates directly to professionals in the field, for example vegetation management professionals working on PGE contract crews.

“Helping our youth take this leap is really exciting,” he said. “One of the reasons this relationship is so important to us, and so beneficial for our youth has to do with connecting our youth with organizations whose reputation and values we trust. We have seen first-hand that if we place a youth in an apprenticeship with PGE or Asplundh, we know they will be following or exceeding the safety standards.”

The program is set to begin at the beginning of 2026.

2025 Career Pathways Awards

Through the Careers Pathways Grant, the PGE Foundation is proud to invest in organizations that reflect its commitment to helping Oregonians thrive in a changing economy—supporting prosperity, equity, and opportunity for all.

Award recipient, Portland YouthBuilders is using the funds to provide more than 300 youth with hands-on training in construction and technology as well as job placement assistance to benefit them and their communities in the long run.

"Students consistently leave our program with a job, a clear career plan, and a sense of pride in themselves. The greatest achievement for us as a program is seeing our graduates overcome poverty and become leaders in their communities,” said Rana Uzzaman, Executive Director, Portland YouthBuilders.

Serving Central Oregon for more than 25 years, Heart of Oregon Corps empowers youth and young adults through employment, job training, education, and service to their communities.

With support from the Careers Pathways Grant, Heart of Oregon Corps is looking to build the future and unite its training programs with a new campus in Redmond.

“PGE Foundation has been a longtime partner and supporter of Heart of Oregon Corps, providing critical funding for both our programs and our new campus. PGE's support helps local youth overcome barriers, gain meaningful skills, take on projects that strengthen their communities, and build the confidence and experience they need for lifelong success,” said Leanna Williams, Heart of Oregon Corps, Development Director.

April 2025

PGE contract crews demonstrate how to safety trim trees near utility lines.

PGE contract crews demonstrate how to safety trim trees near utility lines.

AntFarm wildfire mitigation personnel remove hazardous vegetation near a home.

About the PGE Foundation

The PGE Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Portland General Electric. Founded in 1997, the foundation was created through an endowment with the expressed purpose of improving the quality of life for Oregonians. As a foundation dedicated to helping others, it prioritizes support for upstream solutions that expand access, build skills and confidence, and open pathways for greater economic mobility — creating lasting impact for individuals and local communities. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $32 million to community organizations across the state. To learn more, please visit www.pgefoundation.org.

About Portland General Electric

Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is an integrated energy company that generates, transmits and distributes electricity to over 950,000 customers serving an area of 1.9 million Oregonians. Since 1889, Portland General Electric (PGE) has been powering 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 was ranked the No. 1 utility in the 2024 Forrester U.S. Customer Experience Index and is committed to reducing emissions from its retail power supply by 80% by 2030 and 100% by 2040. In 2024, PGE employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation donated $5.5 million and volunteered nearly 23,000 hours to more than 480 nonprofit organizations. For more information visit www.PortlandGeneral.com/news