Fredericksburg, Va. — Young women throughout Virginia will challenge their determination to reach new heights at this year’s Girl Power Camp, hosted by the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, member cooperatives such as Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) and industry partners.

On Oct. 30, determined young women from across the commonwealth are expected to gather for the fourth annual event at the Association’s state-of-the-art training facility in Palmyra, Va., for an interactive experience introducing them to a variety of career paths in the energy industry, including that of linework.

The one-day energy career experience is intended for high school girls interested or curious about working on a line crew, in a substation, as a drone operator, with advanced metering technology or as a fiber broadband technician. Instructors will lead students through activities in the classroom and outdoors.

• Girl Power Camp is Wednesday, Oct. 30, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Electric Cooperative Training Center at 1293 Salem Church Road, Palmyra, Va.
• Twenty-five students from the counties served by REC will attend this event.

Campers will learn about safety on the job, safely climb a utility pole, operate a bucket truck, splice fiber-optic cable, locate buried utility lines, construct a utility pole, operate a drone, and participate in a cadwelding exercise. Students also meet with industry human resources professionals to review their goals, discuss interviewing best practices and develop a personal “elevator speech,” as well as visit with industry accounting and finance professionals.

Entry-level operations roles can often lead to a variety of other opportunities within an organization, including leadership roles. Electric cooperatives and their industry partners are committed to attracting more young women to these types of roles.

School administrators describe the event as a great example of how community partnerships can help expand learning beyond the classroom walls and help students discover the diverse career opportunities available to them.

REC provides electric service to over 180,000 connections in parts of 22 Virginia counties. With its general office in Fredericksburg, Va., the Cooperative operates and maintains more than 18,000 miles of power lines through its service area, which ranges from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay. For more information about REC, please visit www.myrec.coop. Follow REC on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Headquartered in Glen Allen, Va., the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives provides safety and training, communications and legislative services to 16 electric cooperatives. For more information, visit vmdaec.com and vmdaec.com/center.