We recognize the need to have a workforce reflecting the communities we serve.  There is a shortage of skilled workers and students of color aren’t aware of career opportunities in the field.  They are not entering the programs that provide the education and skills that we need and from which we hire.  

Legacy provides students in inner-city schools exposure to careers and leaders in the energy industry through mentoring and industry specific training.   

• Legacy provides us candidates who were previously unaware of the opportunities in our energy industry.
• Legacy matches students with Xcel Energy ambassadors (leaders/employees) who introduce them to our work, provide mentoring, and job shadowing and internship opportunities.
• Legacy connects students to the technical skills training they need to fill jobs.
• Legacy provides students the support they need to reach their full potential while in school and completing the training and education they receive in this program.
• Legacy offers job-readiness, character-building skill; skills based training, problem solving and other so called soft skills.

Legacy started in the summer of 2016 and is in its 3rd cohort.  After the first cohort we hired 4 graduates as college interns, 3 are still with us. We recently hired 2 more interns from the 2nd cohort.  We also offered these students an opportunity to apply for technical school scholarships which were awarded to 2 students, 1 who is currently in a line worker program and the other is in a solar/renewables program.  After the first cohort we had 6 students who entered the lineworker program.  5 of the 6 dropped out and we have since then, refocused our recruiting, training and exposure efforts.  This spring we expect approximately 5 new students enroll in the technical college lineworker program. 

Baird McKevitt, Director – Inclusion and Diversity