FirstEnergy Corp. receives Outstanding Co-op Employer Award from the Swanson School

AKRON, Ohio (Dec.15, 2011 via PRNewswire) ...  FirstEnergy Corp.  (NYSE: FE) has been honored with the 2011 Outstanding Cooperative Education Employer award from the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering. The honor recognizes FirstEnergy for establishing a co-op program with the University of Pittsburgh in 2003 and its continued commitment to the program.

Forty-six University of Pittsburgh students have held co-op positions with FirstEnergy since the program's inception, and many of those have attained full-time positions with the company after completing the co-op experience. The students primarily have worked at FirstEnergy's Beaver Valley Power Station in Shippingport, Pa.

"Our partnership with the University of Pittsburgh has been a great benefit for the students enrolled in the Swanson School of Engineering as well as for our company," said FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) President and Chief Operating Officer Peter Sena. "The co-op program helps students gain a good sense of their chosen profession and valuable work experience, while FirstEnergy gains talented young engineering professionals. We are honored to work with the University on this important endeavor."

"Success of the co-op program is not just about numbers; it is about partnership," said University of Pittsburgh Cooperative Education Program Director Maureen Barcic. "FirstEnergy offers a well-prepared co-op experience and has maintained its commitment to our school and program, including taking steps to ensure successful assignments and mentoring for our students."

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies comprise the nation's largest investor-owned electric system. Its diverse generating fleet features non-emitting nuclear, scrubbed baseload coal, natural gas, and pumped-storage hydro and other renewables, and has a total generating capacity of nearly 23,000 megawatts. Follow the Beaver Valley Power Station on Twitter: @BVPowerStation.

www.firstenergycorp.com 

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