Investing in the Future Workforce

While we remain focused on developing our current employees, we know we must have an eye toward future employees as well. A good example of our approach is NiSource’s IN-POWER Youth Mentoring Program in Indiana.

Launched in spring 2011, IN-POWER allows high school students to shadow NIPSCO and NiSource employees for 10 weeks in a range of fields, including engineering, communications, human resources, operations and customer service, to learn about the many career paths in the utility industry.

During high school, IN-POWER students earn a minimum of nine college credits in general core classes from Calumet College and receive college and career coaching from the Urban League of Northwest Indiana and Gary Life Education Initiative, Inc. After their first semester of college, IN-POWER students are eligible to apply for a summer internship with NIPSCO. Other partners in the program include the Center for Mentors, Lew Wallace STEM Academy and Merrillville High School. The Center for Mentors provides professional training for the NIPSCO employee mentors, who are encouraged to provide ongoing guidance and support to the students throughout their high school careers.

Columbia Gas of Virginia created a new Brighter Futures Scholarship fund with the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges, which will provide a $1,000 scholarship at each of its 15 campuses. The scholarships are directed to students residing in the company's service territory with demonstrated need and academic promise. In addition, 2011 was the 20th year Columbia Gas of Virginia provided financial support to scholarships for Chesterfield County Public School graduating seniors during the Business Breakfast and Scholarship Recognition Program held as part of Black History Month. Students are selected based on an essay explaining how they work to raise cultural diversity awareness in their school.

"By connecting local youth with our staff, NIPSCO's IN-POWER Program allows us to help our communities' future leaders learn and grow. The goal is to expand upon classroom lessons with professional development, resume building and opportunities to connect with others."

Eddie Melton
Communication & Community Relations Manager, NIPSCO

In 2011, we also partnered with a number of other organizations on career fairs and internship programs. In addition to school-based career fairs, we recruited at career fairs hosted by the American Association of Blacks in Energy, the Northwest Indiana Times, and the NAACP and veterans groups, among others. We reach current, future and former employees through our NiSource LinkedIn company page at www.linkedin.com/company/nisource.