DTE Electrifies Student Interest in Energy Careers

Sixty students from Oakland Schools Technical Campuses Northeast, Northwest, and Southeast gained firsthand insight into energy industry careers during a field trip to the DTE Waterford Service Center on Friday, Oct. 21.

Students explored multiple aspects of DTE’s operations, including warehouse logistics, underground cabling, above-ground wiring, and electricity planning and engineering. Hands-on activities allowed them to use safety gear, handle tools, and experience the technical side of power distribution while learning about the critical importance of safety in the field.

School-to-Career Coordinator Chris Bowman at OSTC-Northwest planned the regional event. Student Transition Coordinators Leah Maurer (OSTC-Northeast) and Autumn Palmer (OSTC-Southeast) also attended alongside instructors from each campus.

Representing OSTC-Northeast were Engineering, Robotics & Mechatronics Instructor Demetrius Wilson and 11 students from the ERM, Construction, and Computer Programming programs:

• Aris Berger (Auburn Hills Christian)
• Karina Montero and Britney Lopez Campos (Pontiac International Technology Academy)
• Aaron Spicuzza (Waterford Mott)
• Nicholas McKinnon (Waterford Kettering)
• Amir Kegler, William Ragalyi, and Liam Gallagher (Rochester High)
• Ben Diekmann and George Powelson (Lake Orion High)
• Theodore Foss (Lake Orion Options)

The visit provided students with an inside look at DTE’s operations and highlighted career options in Michigan’s evolving energy sector, from fieldwork and engineering to planning and maintenance.