Progress Energy

Progress Energy, based in North Carolina, resulted from the merger of Carolina Power & Light and Florida Progress Corporation in 2000. It supplies “energy-related products” to gas and electric customers. The company serves close to three million customers in the Carolinas and Florida and boasts annual revenues of $10 billion.

Progress Energy won the J.D. Power and Associates Founder’s Award for dedication, commitment, and sustained improvement in customer service in 2005. In 2006, the utility earned Edison Electric Institute’s Edison Award for operational excellence. Progress Energy is definitely a company worth considering for recent college graduates looking for entry level jobs in engineering or computer science.

Part of Progress’ dedication to outstanding customer service is their commitment to hiring a diverse workforce. Diversity for Progress goes beyond the obvious age, gender, race differences to include social and economic diversity as well. As stated on the Web site, diversity at Progress Energy means “the blending of unique knowledge, individual interpretation, singular experiences and personal points of view.” A recent college graduate looking for entry level employment in customer service could easily find a rewarding career at Progress Energy.

Progress Energy believes in the benefits of nuclear power, despite the controversy surrounding it. Nuclear power is cleaner and safer than using fossil fuel, it’s more cost-effective and more reliable, according to the Web site. In fact, 35 percent of the electricity supplied to Progress Energy customers is generated through nuclear power. The company has four sites altogether, two in North Carolina, one in South Carolina and one in Florida.

Progress Energy offers summer internship opportunities as well as co-operative education programs. A college student looking for an internship that will incorporate what he learned in class might want to think about an internship with Progress Energy. Below are just some of the areas where a student can find an internship or co-op:

• Chemistry
• Engineering
• Information Technology
• Human Resources
• Procurement

Students can intern with Progress either for one summer or several, and students who participate in the co-operative education program can participate for as many as five semesters. Progress also participates in the INROADS internship program for minority students who are enrolled in four-year accredited colleges or universities. INROADS participants intern with Progressive every summer until graduation, working on assignments related to their major.

Progress Energy isn’t only committed to finding quality candidates for their internship and co-operative education programs. Recent college graduates looking for entry level employment are especially welcome. The following are some of the entry level job opportunities available to recent college graduates looking for promising careers:

• Engineering
• Procurement
• Human Resources
• Information Technology
• Finance
• Telecommunications

Progress Energy recruits not only college students but recently separated military personnel as well. It wants to have the most diverse, hard working team possible helping the company to continue its standard of excellence and remain competitive in it field. Progress has been considered one of the best places to work in the Southeast, so college students looking for quality internships and co-operative education programs should add Progress Energy to their list of possibilities, and recent college graduates looking for entry level jobs that will lead to promising careers should also take a look at what Progress has to offer.