Building a Stronger Grid, Creating Good-Paying Jobs

JACKSON, Mich., March 17, 2025 — Consumers Energy is investing in the future workforce to ensure reliable power for Michigan residents through workforce development and training programs. In the last year, Consumers Energy has either hired or promoted more than 100 individuals to the Journey Worker Electric Lines team.

According to Craig Wright, president of the Michigan State Utility Workers Union, Consumers Energy’s focus on job creation and training enhances its talent pool and contributes to a more dependable energy future. He emphasized that these investments lead to well-compensated union positions and provide employees with the necessary skills to develop and maintain a robust grid.

The company is also making significant investments in apprenticeship and training initiatives, such as the joint School to Work program, the internal Marshall Training Center, and Power 4 America. Currently, 289 electric lines apprentices are enrolled in the company’s program, gaining practical experience to prepare them for in-demand roles.

Chris Laird, Consumers Energy’s vice president of electric operations, stated that these apprenticeship opportunities are crucial for expanding Michigan’s workforce by offering career paths and education in essential areas of their operations. He added that the company is not only investing in its employees and infrastructure but also cultivating the next generation of skilled professionals who will power the state for years to come.

In addition to apprenticeships, Consumers Energy is increasing its workforce to support the Reliability Roadmap, including projects related to substations and underground power lines. These positions will be filled through both internal promotions and external recruitment. Employees will receive training in their respective fields to ensure they develop the skills and knowledge required for success, enabling the company to provide reliable service to its customers.

The Reliability Roadmap, unveiled in 2023, serves as Consumers Energy’s strategic plan for a more intelligent and resilient grid. The long-term objectives of the Reliability Roadmap include preventing any single outage from affecting more than 100,000 customers and ensuring that power is restored to customers within 24 hours.

These new hires will build upon the successes of 2024, during which the average duration of customer power outages was reduced, and power was restored within 24 hours in 93% of cases.

Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, delivering natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents across all 68 counties in the Lower Peninsula. Consumers Energy prioritizes reliable power for its customers and is dedicated to providing dependable, clean, and affordable energy around the clock.

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