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Duke Energy Invests $789,000 in Florida’s Colleges and Universities To Build Next Generation Workforce
Duke Energy Invests $789,000 in Florida’s Colleges and Universities To Build Next Generation Workforce
Published 2 hours ago
Submitted by Duke Energy
- Strategic partnerships with colleges and universities help strengthen the utility workforce pipeline
- A total of 23 organizations received grants awards designed to foster learning
- Over the past nine years, Duke Energy and its Foundation have invested nearly $5.5 million in Florida colleges and universities
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 6, 2025 /CSRwire/ - Duke Energy Foundation today announced $789,000 to support 23 Florida colleges, universities and education programs that are creating a pipeline of skilled workers who will help meet the energy industry’s growing workforce needs.
Why it matters: As Florida continues to deploy modern energy infrastructure and meet the needs of the growing state, Duke Energy Foundation is investing in programs that will build the next generation workforce and create access to training and job skills that fit community needs. These grants are part of Duke Energy’s ongoing commitment to workforce development.
Several of the benefiting universities and organizations include:
- University of Central Florida - $75,000 to invest in engineering and computer technology, professional event facilitation, disaster preparedness programming and early career exposure for middle and high school students.
- University of Florida - $75,000 to support middle and high school student utility industry exploration programs, scholarships and summer camps.
- University of South Florida - $75,000 to invest in high school student career exploration summer programming, a solar project and recycling program.
- Consortium of Florida Education Foundations - $50,000 to strengthen Florida’s local education foundations through impactful programming and professional development.
Additional grant awards support career exploration programs, technology upgrades, STEM education resources, immersive learning opportunities, mentorship and more. A complete list of organizations and grant awards is listed below.
A fast-growing industry: The demand for skilled STEM and utility workers continues to grow as Duke Energy engages in more grid and infrastructure improvement projects. The company has also successfully transitioned dozens of interns to full-time roles within the past three years alone. These individuals represent a range of engineering and technical disciplines and come from the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, Florida State University, Florida Polytechnic University, and others.
What they’re saying
Melissa Seixas, president, Duke Energy Florida: “As the energy industry continues to grow and advance, Duke Energy Foundation actively invests in programs that help the future workforce learn and get excited about careers in STEM. Our goal is to equip this next generation with access to advanced technology and immersive learning opportunities as they prepare for their future careers.”
Mary Chance, president and CEO of the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations: “Duke Energy has been our consistent partner since the inception of our organization decades ago, believing in our mission of bringing local communities together to advance K-12 education in our state. Generations of students have had impactful education experiences and discovered career paths because of Duke Energy’s support.”
All education grants awarded
| Region | University/Organization | Grant Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide | Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, Inc. | $50,000 |
| Central Florida | University of Central Florida Florida Polytechnic University Foundation, Inc. Foundation for Seminole County Public Schools Futures Inc. Foundation for Seminole State College of Florida, Inc. Highlands County Education Foundation, Inc. Polk Education Foundation Grants Educational Foundation of Lake County The Foundation of Osceola Education Inc. Foundation for Orange County Public Schools, Inc. Sumter Schools Enhancement Foundation, Inc. | $75,000 $50,000 $40,000 $30,000 $30,000 $10,000 $30,000 $10,000 $28,600 $71,400 $10,000 |
| North / North Central | University of Florida Florida A&M University Foundation, Inc. Jefferson County Education Foundation, Inc. The Education Foundation of Alachua County, Inc. Southern Scholarship Foundation, Inc. City of Port St. Joe | $75,000 $25,000 $10,000 $10,000 $3,000 $5,000 |
| St. Pete / Tampa | University of South Florida Pasco Education Foundation, Inc. Pinellas Education Foundation, Inc. Hernando County Education Foundation Citrus County Education Foundation, Inc. | $75,000 $25,000 $75,000 $11,000 $40,000 |
Duke Energy Florida
Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.
Duke Energy Foundation
Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. The company’s electric utilities serve 8.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,100 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.
Contact: Laitin Sterling
Phone: 941.806.8777
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Duke Energy
Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. The company’s electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.
Duke Energy is executing an ambitious energy transition, keeping customer reliability and value at the forefront as it builds a smarter energy future. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including natural gas, nuclear, renewables and energy storage.
More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.
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