Richhill 87 Site Visit Creates Professional Opportunities for the Mentorship Academy

Welcome back to the Path Forward vlog series from RHL 87! Our hosts joined the Mentorship Academy class and industry partners to learn more about professional pathways in the energy space.

Alongside Evolution Well Services, Deep Well Services and the CNX Completions team, the students expanded their scope of what regional career opportunities are available following graduation.

For one mentor and Deep Well Services team member in particular, the Mentorship Academy’s visit resonated on a personal level. As a Steel Valley School District graduate, John Sabo welcomed the opportunity to grow Mentorship Academy involvement and representation from his hometown. Several mentees from Steel Valley were in attendance, inspired by John’s professional journey and eager to discover their industry passions.

“Deep Well has been involved with CNX Foundation as much as we can to give back,” John Sabo, Vice President of Business Development, Deep Well Services. “I have a lot of pride for this area of Pittsburgh, the region, and I truly love oil and gas.”

Students heard from John and additional industry professionals to understand what working in the field looks like. From working on a drill rig to collaborating across completion teams, the time students spent at RHL 87 opened new doors to career pathways beyond CNX Resources.

“We [Mentorship Academy students] got an immerse look at professional opportunities working in the energy space,” said Nick DeIuliis, President & CEO, CNX Resources. “There’s a big interest in ensuring our energy partners have the best and brightest professionals working for them, and this will take the Mentorship Academy to another level.”

Visit the CNX Foundation News Hub for more “Path Forward” videos and Mentorship Academy news.

The Mentorship Academy is an initiative of CNX Foundation and part of CNX’s commitment to investing in its local community. Designed for high school students who do not plan to immediately attend a four-year college, the Academy is focused on providing urban and rural youth from economically disadvantaged regional Appalachian communities with greater opportunities—helping provide these young adults a bridge to family-sustaining careers. Following the mentorship program, students will have developed new relationships with peers and business leaders across western Pennsylvania, a new excitement for the region’s career opportunities and an understanding of how to pursue those careers.

Mentorship Academy Students Discover New Industry Skills and Passions at Local 66

In today’s episode, The Path Forward hosts visit Operating Engineers Local 66 training site for a day of education and excavators with the Mentorship Academy.

The young men and women engaged with regional industry professionals, watched heavy machinery operations, and learned about opportunities at Local 66.

Local 66 training site instructor Holly guided students throughout the day, providing industry insight, innovation, and inspiration particularly catered to the young women in attendance. The longtime union member shared her career journey as a motivating reminder for the mentees to pursue their passions.

“Don’t be discouraged because you are a woman,” said Holly. “As long as you have a great mindset and a positive attitude, you can go anywhere.”

Women are underrepresented in this male-dominated field. However, the Mentorship Academy is working to change that by promoting regional industry careers as an opportunity for all. This commitment starts at the top, where CNX CEO Nick DeIuliis emphasizes industry hiring trends and the push for a more diverse workforce.

“The Mentorship Academy will put 25-30 potential female professionals in those seats where operating engineers, like Local 66, show them an overview of what a [regional industry] career would look like,” said DeIuliis.

Visit the CNX Foundation News Hub for more “Path Forward” videos and Mentorship Academy news.

The Mentorship Academy is an initiative of CNX Foundation and part of CNX’s commitment to investing in its local community. Designed for high school students who do not plan to immediately attend a four-year college, the Academy is focused on providing urban and rural youth from economically disadvantaged regional Appalachian communities with greater opportunities—helping provide these young adults a bridge to family-sustaining careers. Following the mentorship program, students will have developed new relationships with peers and business leaders across western Pennsylvania, a new excitement for the region’s career opportunities and an understanding of how to pursue those careers.

CCAC West Hills Center Welcomes Mentorship Academy Students to Kick off Year Two

Welcome back to the Path Forward vlog series! Join our hosts as they visit Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) West Hills Center to welcome more than 60 Mentorship Academy students for the kickoff of the program’s second year.

Welcome back to another episode of The Path Forward vlog series! Join our hosts as they visit Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) West Hills Center to welcome more than 60 Mentorship Academy students for the kickoff of the program’s second year. The young men and women participated in industry-related workshops in addition to making introductions with CNX Resources and CCAC representatives.

Through the newly formed partnership with CCAC, Mentorship Academy students will have year long access to hands-on, educational training with equipment and tools that develop the skills necessary to prepare for careers in automotive, aviation, electrical, healthcare, HVAC, welding and more.

“The first year [of the Mentorship Academy] was such a success, we can only imagine what the second year is going to yield,” said Dr. Quintin Bullock, President of CCAC. “It is exciting to see the enthusiasm, motivation and commitment to explore what these opportunities are as well as watching students excel and embrace the opportunity that is placed before them.”

Visit the CNX Foundation News Hub for more “Path Forward” videos and Mentorship Academy news.

The Mentorship Academy is an initiative of CNX Foundation and part of CNX’s commitment to investing in its local community. Designed for high school students who do not plan to immediately attend a four-year college, the Academy is focused on providing urban and rural youth from economically disadvantaged regional Appalachian communities with greater opportunities—helping provide these young adults a bridge to family-sustaining careers. Following the mentorship program, students will have developed new relationships with peers and business leaders across western Pennsylvania, a new excitement for the region’s career opportunities and an understanding of how to pursue those careers.

CNX Foundation Announces The Path Forward Vlog Series to Amplify Community Impact

Mentorship Academy graduates Zion Buford and Jocelyn Williams interview the change agents who are helping to make a tangible, impactful and local difference, ultimately carving a Path Forward in our region. Fresh content is updated weekly featuring reflections on Mentorship Academy journeys from graduates and current students as well as commentary from CNX Resources CEO Nick Deluliis.

In this week’s episode, our hosts join The Bus Stops Here Foundation for the launch of the WOW (Wifi On Wheels) Cyber Bus. CNX Foundation’s $200,000 investment into the project provides students and parents across the Pittsburgh region with remote learning opportunities in topics ranging from STEM education to financial literacy.

“When this opportunity popped up with the Cyber Bus, it was a no brainer,” said CNX Resources CEO Nick Deiuliis. “We’re going to impact everybody, from grade school kids to senior citizens to access technology. It checked all the boxes.”

Visit the CNX Foundation News Hub for more “Path Forward” videos and Mentorship Academy news.

The Mentorship Academy is an initiative of CNX Foundation and part of CNX’s commitment to investing in its local community. Designed for high school students who do not plan to immediately attend a four-year college, the Academy is focused on providing urban and rural youth from economically disadvantaged regional Appalachian communities with greater opportunities—helping provide these young adults a bridge to family-sustaining careers. Following the mentorship program, students will have developed new relationships with peers and business leaders across western Pennsylvania, a new excitement for the region’s career opportunities and an understanding of how to pursue those careers.

From Signing Day to Signing Up

The CNX Foundation’s Mentorship Academy held its first-ever recruiting cookout last week, almost a year to the day from the Mentorship Academy’s inaugural class kick-off.

The cookout follows a busy Academy summer, which included our inaugural class graduating this past June, and July’s “signing day” event where CNX celebrated hiring six of the inaugural Academy class graduates.

Last week’s get-to-know-you event for the second-year class served as an amazing example of what the Mentorship Academy has become.

Over 50 students from western Pennsylvania’s urban and rural school districts expressed interest in being considered for the Academy’s second year class. Dozens were able to attend the recruiting cookout on the ‘HQ at CNX’ rooftop.

The weather was perfect, and the food was great. But the conversations were the best part of the event. Students open up when they feel at ease and when they establish a level of trust with those around them.

Mentors play a crucial role in the execution of the Academy’s mission, because they are the key to establishing trust.

This year we have more mentors, most have a year’s worth of experience under their belt, and it seems that everyone shares an excitement about the chance to perform the role even better than the prior year. Those characteristics go a long way in connecting to new students.

Another pivotal aspect of this year’s effort is that many of the second-year recruits were referred by first-year students.

Meeting new students around the rooftop cookout that day brought numerous “I’m friends with” or “I’m cousins with” a student who participated in the first-year class. Which means many of the recruits have a decent idea of what the Academy is about. Word-of-mouth credibility built with last year’s students converts to comfort and openness to those who are referred for the second-year class.

And speaking of those first-year students, many of the rising seniors wanted to come back for a second year of the Academy during their senior year of high school. This group showed up in force at the cookout last week and made a huge difference. They have transformed into leaders among their peers.

In fact, prior to the event, the CNX Foundation team was talking about how we describe to the second-year recruits what the Mentorship Academy is about and what they can expect. At the cookout, it hit me just prior to my brief remarks as to how to explain the Academy to these new students. I said, “Look around. You’ve been talking to and sitting with students from last year’s class. You see that confidence? You notice how they handle themselves? Their excitement about what’s to come? That’s what you will embody after a year in the Academy, if you apply yourself.”

Everyone talks glibly about how time flies; how you should make every moment count. Then there are those instances in life when the glib transforms to the profound. Grab ahold of such moments with both hands, and don’t let go.

It’s year two. Let’s go.

The Mentorship Academy is an initiative of CNX Foundation and part of CNX’s commitment to investing in its local community. Designed for high school students who do not plan to immediately attend a four-year college, the Academy is focused on providing urban and rural youth from economically disadvantaged regional Appalachian communities with greater opportunities—helping provide these young adults a bridge to family-sustaining careers. Following the mentorship program, students will have developed new relationships with peers and business leaders across western Pennsylvania, a new excitement for the region’s career opportunities and an understanding of how to pursue those careers.