Job fair highlight of Alabama Power’s 3-day corporate takeover at Alabama State University

Alabama Power partnered with Alabama State University last week for the first corporate takeover at the HBCU that lasted three days, wrapping up Thursday with a job fair that featured dozens of employers.

The purpose of the pilot event was to educate attendees about Alabama Power and to work with other companies to provide professional development and employment opportunities to the state’s future workforce.

“This is a great opportunity for our students and the public to meet with recruiters offering job opportunities and internships, and to interact with officials from the Alabama Power Company who are partnering with us to make this great event happen,” Dr. Sabrina Simmons, assistant vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management/Student Development and Engagement, said in a press release. “We want to lend a hand up to our students and to the public, so they may be fully or part-time employed or be selected for important internships that so many times become the foot in the door to future full-time employment. ASU truly wants to help people find employment.”

Day 1 of the takeover on Tuesday focused on student engagement, which included an overview of Alabama Power, student professional development workshops on interviewing for a job and maximizing LinkedIn accounts for networking and career advancement, and wrapped up with a Q&A session.

The engagement was led by Jason Watters, workforce development manager at Alabama Power, and LaShundra Pettway, engineering supervisor in Alabama Power’s Southern Division in Montgomery.

“We were able to make meaningful connections with students who may or may not have known about Alabama Power and our opportunities. They now know not only the opportunities, but the people behind the opportunities are actually real people who are invested in their future,” Watters said. “It’s really broken down those barriers to where they feel they can directly connect with us.”

Graduating senior Maya McCord, a major in communications with a concentration in radio and television, said she was enlightened by the sessions.

“I’ve learned a lot about Alabama Power and how many (career) avenues it has,” she said. “I live in Birmingham, so I always see Alabama Power, and I know it’s about electricity. But seeing opportunities in communications or having a PR route, things like that, were very enlightening.”

Day 2 was a stakeholder meeting and reception that featured remarks by representatives from Alabama Power and ASU.

“This is the first takeover that Alabama Power has done, and we chose here. It’s one thing to say to the students that we care about you, but we really do,” said Leslie Sanders, vice president of Alabama Power’s Southern Division. “I’m involved in economic development every day, and we cannot sell a company to locate here if the workforce needs are lacking. That’s why we’re here. When the students come (to the job fair), it’s not just to get a brochure and go back to class. We want to be that link to help connect your students to the workforce.”

ASU Athletic Director Dr. Jason Cable spoke on behalf of ASU President Dr. Quinton Ross Jr.

“We’re excited to partner with Alabama Power,” he said. “It’s bigger than the sponsorship you provide. It’s the relationships, and relationships take work. That’s why we’re here today. We don’t just want to be a part of history. We want to make history, and we want to celebrate history.”

Alabama Power’s Birmingham Division Vice President Ralph Williams Jr. is also state director of the company’s HBCU engagement.

“We are one company, one community. Our CEO always says, ‘We are better together,’” Williams said. “The biggest enemy we have in Alabama is poverty. The work that we do at our HBCUs is helping us to fight poverty. We’re going to continue to provide opportunities for our scholars, not just at Alabama State, but across the state of Alabama.”

Day 3 was the grand finale of the takeover with a job fair that included an Alabama Power bucket truck, ALEX (The Alabama Experience | Workforce Development) mobile exhibit, electric vehicles and dozens of job recruiters from all over the state.

ASU student Tyrin Moorer said he enjoyed visiting the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama‘s ALEX mobile exhibit.

“It was great to come in and see all of the different stations,” he said. “There were plenty of people in there to help you get ready for your career opportunities, whether it was full time or internship offers.”

Recruiting stations were set up inside the Dunn-Oliver Acadome sports arena. Representatives came from across the state – from Huntsville to Mobile, from healthcare to banking to ministry – including BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama, Auburn City Schools, Easterseals, Randolph County Board of Education, Huntsville City Schools, Shipt, Alabama Department of Public Health, Regions, Alabama Department of Revenue, Hope Inspired Ministries, Alfa Insurance, Mobile County Public Schools, Hyundai, UAB Medicine and many others.

ASU President Ross toured the recruiter stations, interacted with students and community residents, and connected with Alabama Power personnel. In a Facebook post, he shared his assessment of the day’s events.

“It was an honor to have numerous employers join us at today’s public job and internship fair,” he said. “Thank you, Alabama Power, for your partnership and support. Together, we are creating brighter futures for our students and community.”