Avangrid, University of Bridgeport Host Offshore Wind Workshop for Local High School, College Students

More than 80 area students attend event to learn about career pathways in the emerging clean energy industry

Orange, CT – Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, and the University of Bridgeport (UB) last week held the first Offshore Wind Workshop on campus to outline opportunities and career pathways for local high school and college students in the New England region’s emerging offshore wind industry. The workshop, which took place on November 9, 2023, hosted more than 80 local students from Fairchild Wheeler High School, Central High School, University of Bridgeport, and other local schools, and included panel discussions detailing the diversity of job opportunities within offshore wind, as well 1-on-1 engagement with students and current Avangrid employees. 

“Offshore Wind is a critical energy and climate solution for the New England region, but it also represents a generational economic opportunity for young people in communities like Bridgeport,” said Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra. “The successful, ongoing construction of our nation-leading Vineyard Wind 1 project demonstrates the immense potential for this industry to create well-paying jobs in the skilled trades, and we believe the students that attended this workshop represent a bright future for the region’s clean energy workforce.”  

When there is renewable energy in this region, it’s good for student employment and good for the environment,” said Dr. Junling Hu, Chair of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Applied Computational Fluid Dynamics Laboratory at University of Bridgeport. 

“It’s important to run this workshop at the University of Bridgeport,” said Dean of the College of Engineering, Business, and Education, Dr. Khaled Elleithy. “It’s designed to excite high school students about jobs in the field. We hope some students might join us in the future, where we have facilities and experienced professors who can teach these technologies.”

As part of the day’s programming, Avangrid held a panel discussion featuring current employees focused on jobs in offshore wind, including construction, operations and maintenance, civil and electrical engineering, research and development, marine science, and other positions within the skilled trades. Tamika Jacques, Avangrid’s Director of Workforce Development and Supply Chain, provided a keynote address highlighting offshore wind’s potential for economic impact throughout New England and in communities like Bridgeport, including the creation of well-paying, family-sustaining jobs. The program concluded with 1-on-1 meetings between students and Avangrid employees, and a tour of the University of Bridgeport’s campus for prospective students. 

“Offshore Wind is a once-in-a-generation economic opportunity for the New England region, and in particular communities like Bridgeport that stand to benefit from the jobs and investment this industry can bring in the decades to come,” said Tamika Jacques, Director of Workforce Development and Supply Chain. “We’re inspired to see the passion and interest in clean energy from these young leaders, and grateful to our partners at the University of Bridgeport for hosting this workshop, which we hope will be a first step into a career in offshore wind for many of these students.” 

In late 2022, Avangrid began construction on its first-in-the-nation Vineyard Wind 1 project, achieved steel-in-the-water in June, and completed the nation’s first offshore substation in July. Construction flows through the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal. In July 2021, Vineyard Wind signed the first Project Labor Agreement for an offshore wind project in the United States, which outlined the creation of 500 union jobs through the project. 
An 806-megawatt project located 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Vineyard Wind will generate electricity for more than 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts, create 3,600 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) job years, save customers $1.4 billion over the first 20 years of operation, and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.6 million metric tons per year, the equivalent of taking 325,000 cars off the road annually.

About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $41 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs more than 7,600 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital for three consecutive years as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2022, AVANGRID ranked second within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2022 for the fourth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.  

About Iberdrola: Iberdrola is one of the world's biggest energy companies and a leader in renewables, spearheading the energy transition to a low carbon economy. The group supplies energy to almost 100 million people in dozens of countries. With a focus on renewable energy, smart networks and smart solutions for customers, Iberdrola’s main markets include Europe (Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy and Greece), the United States, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. The company is also present in growth markets such as Japan, Taiwan, Ireland, Sweden and Poland, among others.

With a workforce of nearly 40,000 and assets in excess of €141.7 billion, across the world, Iberdrola helps to support 400,000 jobs across its supply chain, with annual procurement of €12.2 billion. A benchmark in the fight against climate change, Iberdrola has invested more than €130 billion over the past two decades to help build a sustainable energy model, based on sound environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.