Latest / The Diversity Career Podcast with Fexingo: Inclusion, Equity, and Underrepresented Professionals / How a Utility Built a Career Ladder for Rural Workers
Transcript
- Lucas: So, Luna, we've hit episode 150 of this show, and we've talked a lot about pipelines into tech, finance, law firms. But today I want to talk about a sector that doesn't get nearly enough attention when it comes to diversity work: the utility industry. Luna: Utilities? That's a first. What's the angle? Lucas: Well, there's a regional utility company in the Midwest—I won't name them because they're not public about some of these numbers—but they've built a career ladder specifically for rural workers. And it's not just about hiring; it's about creating a visible path from entry-level to engineering. Luna: Okay, that sounds promising. But what does it actually look like in practice? Lucas: So they partnered with a couple of community colleges in their service area to create a paid apprenticeship. You come in as a line technician, you get on-the-job training, and the company pays for your associate's degree. After that, you can move into a junior engineer role, and they'll even fund your bachelor's if you want to go further. Luna: That's a real investment. But is it working? I mean, are people actually taking advantage of it? Lucas: Yeah, and that's the interesting part. The program has been running for about three years now, and they've seen a 40 percent increase in retention among the people who go through it. That's huge for an industry that typically struggles with turnover in rural areas. Luna: Forty percent? That's a concrete number. What do they credit it to? Lucas: They say it's the intentionality. They don't just hire people and hope they stay. They have a structured mentorship program, they check in every quarter, and they make sure the apprentices know that this is a career, not just a job. Plus, they've addressed what they call the 'rural premium'—the extra cost of living in remote areas. They offer relocation assistance and even housing stipends in some cases. Luna: Housing stipends? That's a big deal. I've heard rural recruitment often fails because people can't afford to move there. Lucas: Exactly. And that's where a lot of companies get it wrong. They think if they just post a job listing, someone will show up. But this utility realized that the biggest barrier is the upfront cost of relocating. So they absorbed that cost. And they've also made sure that the apprenticeships are designed with input from the current employees—so they're actually training for the skills that are needed on the ground, not some HR ideal. Luna: That makes sense. It's almost like they're treating rural workers as a talent pipeline, not a charity case. Lucas: Right. And they've been very open about the fact that they're doing this because they need the talent. Rural areas have an aging workforce, and they're struggling to fill skilled positions. So this is a business strategy as much as a diversity initiative. Luna: So it's not just altruistic. There's a bottom-line reason. Lucas: Absolutely. And that's actually what makes it sustainable. They've seen that apprentices who come through this program are more loyal, they're more skilled, and they're more likely to stay long-term. So the ROI is real. But there's also a softer benefit—they're changing the demographics of their engineering team, which used to be predominantly male and from urban areas. Now they're getting more women, more people from small towns, and more first-generation college students. Luna: First-gen students are a key population for this. How do they support them specifically? Lucas: Great question. They've built a mentorship program that pairs each apprentice with a senior employee who's been through the same journey. They also have regular 'career conversations' where they talk about things like how to navigate the corporate culture, how to ask for a raise, how to network internally. For someone who's the first in their family to work in a professional setting, those soft skills can be just as important as the technical ones. Luna: That's something we've seen in other episodes, but it's still often overlooked. You can't just throw someone into a role and expect them to know the unwritten rules. Lucas: Exactly. And they've also made a point of celebrating the successes. They have a 'career spotlight' in their internal newsletter that features people who have moved from line tech to engineer. That sends a clear message: 'This is possible for you too.' Luna: I love that. It's visual proof that the ladder exists. Lucas: And it's not just a ladder for the sake of it. They've tied it to actual pay raises. When you complete the apprenticeship, you see a significant salary bump. That's a tangible reward that people can aspire to. Luna: So, what's the catch? There's got to be a challenge. Lucas: Well, the biggest challenge is scale. They've only been able to bring in about 25 apprentices per year. And that's because they need enough senior staff to mentor them properly. So they're limited by their own capacity. But they're working on that by training more mentors and looking at ways to use peer to peer learning. Luna: That's a good problem to have, though. It means they're doing it right, not just scaling fast and breaking things. Lucas: Exactly. And I think there's a lesson for other companies here, especially in industries like construction, manufacturing, and even healthcare. You don't have to be a tech giant to build a career pipeline that works for underrepresented groups. You just have to be intentional, invest in your people, and understand the specific barriers your potential employees face. Luna: Speaking of the show and the work we do—this is actually a good moment to mention that listener support is what keeps this podcast going. We're ad-free, and that's only possible because some of you chip in a couple of dollars a month at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. If you've ever gotten something useful from an episode like this, that's a genuine way to make sure we can keep doing it. Lucas: Yeah, we really appreciate that. It sounds small, but it adds up. And it goes directly into production costs, research, and keeping the lights on, so to speak. Luna: Exactly. And it's not about perks or shout-outs—it's just about sustaining something that we all find valuable. Lucas: So, back to the utility company. I think the takeaway here is that diversity and inclusion don't always mean flashy programs in big cities. Sometimes they mean investing in people who have been overlooked because of where they live. Luna: And that's a message worth repeating. So what's the one thing you'd want a listener to remember from this episode? Lucas: That rural workers are an untapped talent pool. And if you build a genuine path for them—with financial support, mentorship, and a clear career ladder—you'll not only diversify your workforce, you'll build a more loyal and skilled team. Luna: Well said. And if you're a listener who's thinking about your own career, maybe this inspires you to look at industries you haven't considered before. Lucas: Yeah, utilities might not be as glamorous as tech, but the stability and growth potential are real. And with more companies starting programs like this, it's worth keeping an eye on. Luna: Thanks for tuning in to episode 150. We've got more good ones coming. Lucas: And as always, if you have a story or a question, reach out. We'd love to hear from you. Luna: Alright, until next time. Lucas: Take care, everyone.