UI, CNG, SCG Meet with 55 High School Students to Inspire Careers in the Energy Industry
Company leaders share career insights with local students participating in EnergizeCT℠ Green STEP Summer Certification Training Program
President and CEO Frank Reynolds meets with the Green STEP participants, joined by 3 leaders at UI/CNG/SCG.
ORANGE, Conn. — July 14, 2026 — United Illuminating (UI), Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG), and Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG), subsidiaries of Avangrid, Inc., announced that President & CEO Frank Reynolds, along with three other company leaders, joined the EnergizeCT℠ Green STEP Summer Energy Certification Training Program last week for a panel discussion on career pathways in the energy industry. Fifty-five high school students participating in the three-week, paid-to-train energy efficiency and green building certification program through EnergizeCT℠ were in attendance. The panelists shared insight into their own unique career paths and the reasons why they chose to pursue opportunities in the energy industry, offering advice to students as they prepare to enter into the workforce.
“It is crucial to invest in the future of our workforce through programs such as Green STEP,” said Reynolds. “It was rewarding to share my own journey with the students and offer some insight into the variety of career paths and opportunities available to them in the energy sector. This year’s Green STEP participants are an impressive group of students that are well-prepared for a bright future and careers dedicated to serving the community.”
Reynolds participated in the panel alongside Marissa Westbrook, the Senior Manager of Conservation and Load Management at UI, CNG, and SCG, José Marrero, Supervisor of UI’s Technical Training Operations, and Joseph Marinaccio, Lead Engineer at UI. The leaders told the stories of their personal career journeys and why they decided to join the energy and utility industry. Following the panel discussion, the students had the opportunity to meet with each leader in smaller groups to ask questions and get specific advice as they go through their training and explore career options.
“Preparing the next generation of energy‑efficiency professionals is essential to building a more sustainable future for Connecticut and beyond,” said Westbrook. “Watching these students grow their skills and explore career paths in energy efficiency is a reminder of why this work matters.”
The Green STEP Summer Program is a three-week, paid-to-train program offered by EnergizeCT℠ sponsors Eversource and Avangrid, Inc. subsidiaries UI, SCG and CNG. The program offers students industry-recognized certifications in energy efficiency and green building careers. Students participate in one of two tracks: Weatherization and Existing Building Upgrades or Green Building and New Construction.
The program culminates in a Career Expo and a Graduation Ceremony, where they meet and network with companies that perform energy efficiency work in Connecticut. Many of these companies are EnergizeCT℠ contractors that deliver energy efficiency upgrades to residential, commercial and industrial utility customers throughout the state.
For more information on the Green STEP program, please visit Green STEP (Sustainability Technical Education Program) | EnergizeCT.
Media Contact:
Angela Baccaro