Duke Energy Education Grant for Anclote High School

HOLIDAY, Fla. - July 22, 2013 - PRLog -- Career Technical Education Foundation, Inc. (CTEF) is pleased to announce they are the recipient of a $20,000 grant from Duke Energy, formerly Progress Energy.  The energy grant will fund Anclote High School Academy of Energy, providing students with a state-of-the-art computer lab and construction materials for hands-on labs.  The Anclote Energy Academy works hand-in-hand with local industry offering advanced training in a variety of construction, electrical industries, and provides a pipeline for emerging energy markets including nuclear, fossil fuel and renewable energy.  CTEF and Anclote High School Academy of Energy is proud to partner with Duke Energy enabling students to develop a skill set to succeed in this growing industry.

3.5 million jobs will be added to the U.S. energy industry by 2035; 700,000 jobs will be added in the next two years, according to the 2013 Energy Outlook Study.  The Anclote High School Academy of Energy, established in 2009, is investing in the energy workforce of the future by providing high school students with the skills necessary to compete for jobs in the energy industry.  The skill-focused curriculum leads to industry certification from NCCER (National Center for Construction and Education and Research).  NCCER certification will provide graduates with a nationally recognized construction industry certification for potential employers or advanced degrees.  Mr. Aaron Blake, the academy’s department chair and NCCER accredited training sponsor says, “I am excited to have the support of local industry and Duke Energy to provide students the highest quality education. I look forward to using this grant money to improve the hands-on nature of the program, as that is what truly gives students the experience necessary to compete in today's workforce."  

About Career Technical Education Foundation, Inc. (CTEF)

CTEF is a not-for-profit Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) foundation established to work with and influence local educational systems through community and industry partnerships.  CTEF was awarded Tampa Bay Technology Forum’s Industry Achievement Award as an organization making a significant impact on the advancement of STEM education programs, and has been recognized nationally as a leader in building collaborative and supportive relationships between education, business and industry.   J. Paul Wahnish, founder and president of CTEF, is a member of SAE, ASME and on the Board of Directors for the Banner Center for Energy at Indian River State College and the Banner Center for Manufacturing at Polk State College.  He serves as co-chair for FCR-STEM (The Florida Center for Research in Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), devoted to improving Florida education in STEM fields.  Mr. Wahnish has received honors for his outstanding leadership and was most recently recognized nationally in the cyber security arena as Educator-of-the-Year by Federal Information Systems Security Educators' Association (FISSEA). Visit www.careertechedfoundation.org for additional information.

About Duke Energy

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy , provides electricity and related services to approximately 1.7 million customers in Florida. The company is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Fla., and serves a territory encompassing more than 20,000 square miles including the cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, as well as the Central Florida area surrounding Orlando. Duke Energy Florida is pursuing a balanced approach to meeting the future energy needs of the region. That balance includes increased energy-efficiency programs, investments in renewable energy technologies and a state-of-the-art electricity system. More information is available at www.duke-energy.com.