CMP Celebrates Graduation of Summer 2026 High School Operations Interns
Nine students from across Maine completed a 10-week paid internship program gaining hands-on experience in line and substation operations to prepare for careers in energy field.
FARMINGDALE, ME – August 24, 2026 – Central Maine Power (CMP), a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc., proudly celebrated the graduation of nine Maine students from its Union Trade Internship Program. Now in its second year, the paid, industry-leading program doubled student participation in 2026, expanded partnerships with schools in central and southern Maine, and provided hands-on training in line and substation operations to help prepare the next generation of Maine's energy workforce.
At a graduation ceremony held Aug. 21, 2026 at CMP's Farmingdale training facility, students were joined by their families and friends, school partners, and CMP leadership to celebrate the interns' achievements. As part of the ceremony, graduates showcased their skills through live demonstrations, highlighting the safety knowledge, technical ability, and teamwork they developed throughout the program.
CMP's operations internship program is helping build the next generation of Maine's energy workforce. Students illustrated that during their graduation demonstrations as they showcased knowledge learned in bucket truck operation, smart device operation and pole climbing.
"Congratulations to our 2026 high school operations intern class on successfully completing this summer's program," said Linda Ball, President and CEO of Central Maine Power. "Over the past 10 weeks, these interns have gained valuable hands-on experience in line and substation operations, developed technical skills, and learned what it takes to safely operate and maintain the electric grid that serves Maine communities every day. Programs like this are critical to developing the next generation of skilled energy professionals in Maine. We are proud to support their growth, look forward to seeing the impact they will have on our industry and the communities they serve . We also hope they join us as line apprentices and substations employees when it’s time for them to choose careers.”
“IBEW Local 1837 is proud to support programs like CMP’s summer internship, which gives the local young people an opportunity to gain real world experience, develop valuable skills, and learn about the career opportunities available in Maine’s utility industry,” said Joshua Hall, Assistant Business Manager of IBEW 1837. “These interns have spent the past 10 weeks working alongside experienced members of IBEW 1837 and gaining a firsthand understanding of the work that keeps Maine’s electric system running. We hope this experience encourages them to consider careers in the skilled trades and, ultimately, become the next generation of the organized workforce that keeps Maine powered.”
During the 10-week internship program, six students participated in the lineworker learning track and three focused on substation operations. After spending their first two weeks building foundational skills at CMP's Training Center in Farmingdale, interns transitioned to supervised field learning alongside experienced CMP crews. While students did not work on energized electrical equipment for safety reasons, they gained valuable hands-on experience and knowledge in electric utility operations, including pole climbing, crossarm construction, and transformer preparation.
For this program, students ages 16 and older are selected through a competitive recruitment and interview process conducted in partnership with participating high schools. This year’s participating schools were Biddeford Regional Center of Technology, Thorton Academy, Sanford Regional Technical Center, Massabesic High School, Lewiston Regional Technical Center, Lewiston High School, Skowhegan High School, Oak Hill High School and Edward Little High School. The program provides students with paid, hands-on learning opportunities while exposing them to career pathways in Maine's energy industry.