Summer is for vacations and a recharge of the body and mind. Signing day is for student-athletes to commemorate their continuation of playing sports in college.

For 40 rising Baldwin County seniors, neither of these apply.

The students, reigning from a starting pool of 87 applicants from 14 public and private schools, spent the end of their school year in part working with career coaches and preparing for interviews in April. These chosen students will work with utility companies from across the county as part of the Baldwin County Utilities Internship program.

Starting June 3, one intern will be placed with Belforest Water System, two with Gulf Shores Utilities, four with North Baldwin Utilities, five with Daphne Utilities, eight with Fairhope Utilities and 20 with Riviera Utilities.

To officially ink their success in securing summer education and work opportunities, Baldwin County’s 2024 utility interns met their utility supervisors and kicked off their summer Monday, May 20, during a signing day ceremony at Foley Civic Center.

“We have had very positive experiences with this program and our interns over the past few years,” said Rhonda Butler, general manager for Gulf Shores Utilities. “This program provides students with hands-on experience in utility work. It also provides an opportunity to expand awareness in local schools of career potential in our industry. We are thankful to be a part of this experience.”

The utility internships are offered in electric, gas, water, wastewater, warehouse, customer service, engineering and administrative services positions. This is the program’s fourth year, and its growth continues. Piloted by Riviera Utilities in 2021, 42 student applications were submitted last year. Since its inception, five more utility companies have joined and the number of applications has nearly doubled. The program represents a partnership between the Southwest Alabama Workforce Development Commission, Baldwin County Board of Education and the county’s local utility companies.

Several participating utilities have hired former interns after graduation or allowed them to continue work during their senior year through the Alabama State Department’s Work-Based Learning Program.

“Not only does this program allow the interns the opportunity to explore a potential career in the utility industry, but it also allows our staff the opportunity to learn how to better interact with, supervise and manage the next generation of potential employees,” said Scott Polk, general manager and CEO for Daphne Utilities. “It’s a great opportunity and experience for both the interns and our current employees.”