FirstEnergy’s Educate to Elevate Program Yields Early Success

Whether they are customer-facing representatives, behind-the-scenes personnel or others responsible for delivering safe, reliable energy to the customers we serve, our employees are instrumental in delivering an exceptional customer experience.

To help develop a highly skilled workforce, FirstEnergy launched its Educate to Elevate program in 2020. Through the program, FirstEnergy partners with accredited colleges and universities to allow employees the opportunity to earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree at their own pace and with company support.  

Although originally designed to have instructors from local colleges provide on-site classes at FirstEnergy facilities, the program successfully shifted to virtual learning due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

With more than 50 employees currently enrolled in the program in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, we are already seeing successful outcomes. 

Going the Distance

One of the first to enroll in the program was seasoned customer service associate Chagrene Duncan. She recently became the first to complete the Educate to Elevate program, graduating from the University of Akron with a bachelor’s degree in organizational supervision two years ahead of schedule. 

“I pushed myself to complete the program early, and everyone in my family pitched in to help me succeed,” said Duncan, who took four classes per semester rather than the program’s standard of two per semester. 

Duncan also received support from her coworkers and management team.  

“Everyone was very accommodating and helpful, allowing me to structure my work schedule around my classes,” said Duncan. “I couldn’t have completed the program without all of their support.”

Prior to joining FirstEnergy, Duncan already had a two-year associate’s degree in social services management from the University of Akron. One of the main reasons she decided to pursue a four-year degree through Educate to Elevate is the delayed payment option, which allows students to make a partial down payment and postpone the payment of the rest of the tuition until 30 days after a semester ends. 

“I didn’t want to incur additional debt to further my education, so the delayed payment option –combined with the company’s tuition reimbursement plan – made the decision to enroll easy,” said Duncan.

In the future, Duncan hopes to use her education and experience in the Human Resources department to support others in the company. 

“My goal is to secure a position within FirstEnergy where I can use my knowledge and training to help others reach their career goals and achieve their dreams,” she said.

Dreams Come True

Like Duncan, Jared Stone had already completed many college courses before joining Toledo Edison as a meter reader. When Toledo Edison partnered with Owens Community College to offer the Educate to Elevate program in 2021, Stone couldn’t enroll fast enough.  

“I saw it as an amazing opportunity to get into a field of work that I’m passionate about,” said Stone. 

Through Educate to Elevate, Stone took courses that were hand-selected by management as prerequisites for his desired engineering position. Once Stone completed the required courses, he was given the opportunity to join the Engineering department, where he now designs and details engineering jobs as a junior estimating & design representative. 

“Thanks to the program, I was able to progress in my college education and advance my career without spending additional time and money on courses that weren’t applicable to my goals,” said Stone. 

Leveling Up

Chagrene Duncan and Jared Stone are just two early examples of how the Educate to Elevate Program is helping FirstEnergy employees take control of their careers and personal development. While the program is currently only open to employees in certain areas of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, it is expected to expand into other parts of the company.

“As the program continues to prove successful, we’re evaluating opportunities to make Educate to Elevate available to more employees throughout the company,” said Educate to Elevate project manager Jo Anne Hands. “Earning a degree can have a huge impact personally and professionally, and we are happy to make this process easy and accessible for as many employees as possible.” 

Interested in advancing your career with us? Visit www.firstenergycorp.com/careers for current intern/co-op and employment opportunities.

CONTACT: Josh Duke, (330) 607-5018