LADWP’s Summer Job Shadowing Program Graduates 16 Students from Six Area High Schools

Sixteen high school students recently completed a Summer Youth Program (SYP) with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) whereby the participated the work/study program where they were paid $15.23 per hour in a job shadowing role. The partnership between the LADWP and Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is designed to familiarize young people with LADWP’s core functions through job shadowing at one of the agency’s power, water, or fleet facilities.

“This was a learning and training opportunity for the students to become more familiar with a number of the Department’s critical skilled craft positions,” said Jennifer Shar, LADWP’s Workforce Development and Recruitment manager. “The primary goal of this program is to provide students with information about careers at LADWP that they could pursue once they graduate from their respective LAUSD high schools.”

Christopher Gutierrez, LAUSD’s Work Experience Advisor, assisted in selecting students and assigning them to one of three LADWP work locations: Power (Truesdale Training Facility), Water (Water Operations Division), and Joint (Fleet Services). Students shadowed and assisted employees at their job sites and learned various skills, including tool identification, CPR training, electrical safety, preventive maintenance procedures, and how to use a fire extinguisher. Students also visited the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 18’s office, several LADWP facilities, and learned about how to apply for civil service positions within the utility agency.

The program’s graduates represented six LAUSD schools including: Northridge Academy High School, Cheviot Hills High School (West Los Angeles), Amelia Earhart High School (North Hollywood), Youth Opportunities Unlimited Alternative High School (Los Angeles), Arleta High School, and Cesar E. Chavez Learning Academies (San Fernando). SYP graduates were lauded by their mentors and parents at their graduation event and were presented with certificates of completion along with exam bulletins for entry-level skilled craft jobs that they can consider in the future, post high school graduation.

LADWP has committed to investing in workforce development and is reaching out to Los Angeles-area youth to promote jobs as electrical craft helpers, electric distribution mechanics, electrical mechanics, steam plant assistants, water utility workers, and other job classifications.