Duke Energy Empowers Enable America to Support North Carolina Veterans Find Jobs with a $67,425 Grant

Raleigh, NC, August 22, 2019 --(PR.com)-- Military veterans and their families throughout Eastern North Carolina continue to confront challenges re-entering the civilian community. Enable America received a $67,425 grant from Duke Energy to create powerful communities across North Carolina through the VetConnect Energy Industry Job Seeker Workshops for Transitioning Military. Enable America is a 501 c 3 non-profit organization who has been serving individuals with disabilities and veterans in North Carolina since 2009.

Enable America is one of 35 organizations in North Carolina to collectively receive $2.5 million in grants from the Duke Energy Foundation to support workforce education and training programs that prepare future workers to develop innovative solutions for the energy industry’s most pressing challenges.

VetConnect Job Seeker Workshops educate transitioning military and spouses on employment opportunities in the energy industry and connect those job seekers to employment contacts at featured employers, including Duke Energy and other members of the Carolinas Energy Workforce Consortium. Workshop panelists deliver job search tips and techniques, along with information on specific career opportunities and provide one-on-one career coaching during the day long program. Topics include how to find jobs, how to build a Linked-In profile, tips for creating an impactful resume and cover letter, how to interview and follow-up. Workshop attendees learn directly from employer representatives. Workshops will be scheduled at Ft. Bragg and Camp Lejeune.

“Enable America is proud to continue our partnership with Duke Energy. Working together we will empower military veterans and their families through providing meaningful employment connections and information for transitioning military,” said Richard Salem, Chairman of the Board and President for Enable America. “This grant will bolster our proven workshops and drive increased employment for veterans in the energy sector throughout our community.”

“Veterans bring critical skills and experience to North Carolina’s workforce,” said Stephen De May, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. “We’re proud to support Enable America and its goal to provide returning service members and their spouses with career training opportunities.”

The Duke Energy Foundation’s Powerful Communities program makes strategic investments to build powerful communities where our natural resources thrive, students can excel and a talented workforce drives economic prosperity for all. The Foundation annually funds more than $30 million to communities throughout Duke Energy's seven-state service area.

Enable America
Enable America was established in 2002 by attorney Richard Salem as a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities find employment and live independently. The organization’s Community Connections, Business Connections, and VetConnect programs unite members of the disability community and business community to raise awareness and increase employment opportunities for the 54 million Americans with disabilities, including our nation’s wounded warriors and veterans. www.enableamerica.org

Duke Energy Foundation
The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy’s customers live and work. The foundation contributes more than $30 million annually in charitable gifts, and is funded by Duke Energy shareholder dollars. More information about the foundation and its Powerful Communities program can be found at duke-energy.com/foundation.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 125 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers’ experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit’s regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2019 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list, and Forbes’ 2018 “America’s Best Employers” list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.