Equipping the Toolbelt Generation 🧰

For many young people, the journey to their career begins long before they walk across the graduation stage. It's in their teenage years that they start discovering their passions, whether through classes, sports, or extracurricular activities. Power Design understands the value of introducing students to the trades during these formative years to spark that enthusiasm. That's where Power Youth comes in – a dynamic summer program designed to give high school students a firsthand experience of a career in construction! 

Power Youth was created to be a week unlike any other. Between job site visits, rotating through our scopes, interactive activities, and more – we jam-packed this week full of everything a young person might need to build a solid understanding of what a career in the trades might look like for them!  

“I think it’s so important to capture the interest of our young people at an early age. Power Design’s commitment to empowering the next generation in the trades has made an amazing impact on my own son,” Low Voltage Technician Teresa Orellana said, whose son attended Power Youth 2024. “By attending this program, he was exposed to so many different trades and received hands-on training from some of the best in the industry. He’s now so excited to start the apprenticeship program and for the unlimited opportunities the trade has to offer!”  

For those who are ready to dive into the trades, there's no better starting point than a Power Design Apprenticeship! Apprentices can earn a paycheck right away while completing courses and acquiring the skills needed to advance in their careers. It's the hands-on training and the application of classroom concepts in the field that set apprenticeships apart from other paths. When you combine this education model with the unmatched job security in the construction industry, it's clear why Generation Z is so drawn to it.  

“I transitioned into an apprenticeship after nine years in the Marine Corps. Having never worked construction before, I was drawn to the industry by the idea that we get to see a project go from a dirt field to a high rise or whatever you’re building, right in front of our eyes” Foreman Travis Ashley said.  

Now, having recently completed his Power Design apprenticeship, Travis is already advancing in his role. He attributes his success to the program’s unique structure. “Being completely new to the trades, the hands-on learning and bringing concepts from the classroom directly to the job site has been exactly what I needed to progress in my career.”  

At Power Design, our apprentices have several options to choose from when selecting the right apprenticeship path for them. Whether through our in-house federally approved apprenticeship program, PowerU, or one of the dozens of schools we partner with across the nation, every apprentice on a Power Design job site experiences the one-on-one mentorship, hands-on learning, and personalized guidance to ensure they are well-prepared for a successful and fulfilling career in the trades. 

“My mentors, specifically my superintendents and foremen, have always been there to back me up and push me to my full potential. I take every piece of advice they give me and use it to my advantage,” recent PowerU graduate Donald Skalecke said. “I'm excited for all the growth potential ahead of me. This apprenticeship has taught me that if I put my best foot forward and work hard for what I want, I can accomplish anything!”  

While our skilled tradespeople bring our designs to life in the field, they aren’t the only contributors to our success. For young adults who have chosen the college path but are still interested in the dynamic work and career stability offered by the trades, our Power Track Program offers an excellent launch point into the industry. 

Designed to develop the new workforce within Power Design by providing comprehensive, hands-on experience across multiple facets of our operations, the Power Track program is unique. Every six months, our Project Engineers (PEs) rotate through various departments, such as Electrical and Mechanical Operations, Virtual Design, Engineering, Systems, Supply Chain Management, Estimating, and the Field. 

Throughout the program, PEs form strong relationships by learning from experienced team members across the company. By the end of the two-year program, they have a well-rounded understanding of the company and the industry, allowing them to find the perfect fit for their skills and talents within the #PDIFamily. 

For college students looking to kickstart their careers in the construction industry, there's no better place to dive in than our Summer Internship! Hosted at our headquarters in sunny St. Petersburg, Florida, interns are immediately immersed in the #PDILife and get a firsthand look at what makes a career at Power Design so unique.  

Our interns can choose from two primary tracks: Project Management and Engineering. In the Project Management track, they act as liaisons on active projects, collecting RFI’s from suppliers, facilitating material releases, getting quotes, ordering materials, and tracking budgets. Students also review project specs and contract documents to assemble submittals. In the Engineering track, interns are introduced to software and the design process in REVIT, practice coding fundamentals, and gain a high-level understanding of various design scopes.  

Forget busy work— no matter what track is selected, our 10-week program is all about real, hands-on experience working on multi-million-dollar projects with some of our top mentors. Our interns get valuable mentorship, personalized training, and shadowing opportunities that provide practical skills and industry insights. From day one, they engage in various activities that make this internship memorable—think happy hours, Tampa Bay sporting events, and other fun engagement activities. Did we mention active job site visits to see the projects they’re working on in action? Our goal is to set the next generation up for success, with the hope that they’ll come back for the Power Track Program after graduation.