Houston can take inspiration from this young professionals workforce development program. Photo via Getty Images

In Appalachia, a region known for its economic highs and lows, CNX is redefining what success looks like for the region. Through its Mentorship Academy, CNX is not just filling jobs, but creating meaningful careers that keep young people rooted in their communities. This program, designed to bridge the gap between education and the workforce, has been a game-changer for students who might otherwise not come across the same opportunities.

For those of us in Houston and across Texas, the CNX Mentorship Academy offers a powerful blueprint that could be replicated in our own communities. The challenges faced by young people in Appalachia — limited career options, economic downturns, and the pressure to leave home in search of better opportunities — are not unique to that region. Here in Texas, particularly in our rural areas and economically challenged neighborhoods, many young people face similar hurdles. But what if we could offer them the same kind of opportunities that CNX is providing in Appalachia?

At a recent graduation event held at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, the impact of the CNX Mentorship Academy was evident. The students who graduated that day were not just receiving diplomas; they were stepping into new careers and brighter futures. These young people, who had once been uncertain about their paths, are now equipped with the skills and confidence to succeed in high-paying jobs within their own communities.

One of the key takeaways from CNX’s approach is the importance of exposure. In many cases, students simply aren’t aware of the opportunities that exist in their own backyard. As industries like coal and automotive have declined in Appalachia, many young people believed their only option was to leave the region or settle for low-paying jobs. The shale revolution, however, has brought new life to the area, particularly in the energy sector. CNX recognized this and decided to use it as a platform to uplift the next generation.

The Mentorship Academy targets students who might not be on the traditional college-bound track. These are the kids who show up to school every day but don’t necessarily have a clear direction. This approach has allowed the program to tap into the potential of students who might otherwise be overlooked.

What truly sets the CNX Mentorship Academy apart is its hands-on approach. The students don’t just learn about career opportunities; they experience them. Whether it’s through site visits, internships, or working directly with mentors from companies like Evolution and CNX, these young people are getting a real taste of what their future could look like. “It's all about exposure. Like, you know, we can pour all the money into the schools you want... but if they don't have the opportunities to actually see it for themselves, experience it for themselves, it doesn't stick,” another speaker emphasized at the event.

The success stories coming out of the CNX Mentorship Academy are inspiring. One graduate, who initially entered the program disengaged and uncertain, has since become one of its biggest advocates. After securing a job with his preferred company, he’s now leading the charge in getting other students involved, showcasing his newfound leadership skills. “You can have multiple dreams... It's just, you know, being willing to take a risk, step outside and try something new,” he said, reflecting on his journey.

For Houston and Texas as a whole, the CNX Mentorship Academy offers a model worth emulating. The program’s success lies not just in its ability to place students in jobs, but in its focus on preparing them for careers that provide stability and growth. By connecting students with local industries and giving them the tools they need to succeed, CNX is helping to ensure that the next generation of workers is both capable and motivated.

The best part? The CNX Mentorship Academy’s blueprint is open-source, designed to be replicated in other regions. “There is no secret sauce. Everything is wide open... So this can be copied and scaled in Colorado or in Texas or anywhere else where you would want to duplicate this,” the program leaders shared.

As Houston continues to grow and evolve, programs like the CNX Mentorship Academy offer a valuable lesson: success isn’t just about getting a job; it’s about building a career and a future that benefits both the individual and the community. By adopting and adapting this model, we can create similar opportunities for our own youth, ensuring that they too have the chance to stay and thrive in their own backyards.

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Julie McLelland is co-founder and head of product at Digital Wildcatters, a Houston-based company creating and cultivating a community for the next generation of energy professionals.

The program touts professional development, B2B networking, and energy transition knowledge as the cohort’s highlights. Photo via Getty Images

Houston organization brings transformative program for energy industry

new to HOU

A new workforce development program has launched for the energy industry.

The Greater Houston Partnership, through its Greater Houston Leadership Institute will introduce a “ transformative 10-week professional development program” called the Houston Energy Leadership Cohort this fall according to the Greater Houston Partnership.

This will be designed for mid-career professionals in the energy sectors, and run from September 10 to November 19 with applications being accepted up until August 9, and will be held virtually and in-person at Partnership Tower and through field visits.

The program promises that professionals will have an opportunity to gain insights into Houston's role in the energy transition, and to build the essential skills for career growth. The Houston Energy Leadership Cohort will be structured to deliver “comprehensive learning and development opportunities through engaging sessions led by industry experts” according to a news release.

Some of the skills that will be explored involve the complexities of the energy landscape, understanding key innovations and how to develop solutions to current industry challenges.

The program touts professional development, B2B networking, and energy transition knowledge as the cohort’s highlights. Expected sessions include:

  • Houston as the Growth Center for the Energy -Future Energy Breakthroughs: Bridges through the Peaks and Valleys of Innovation
  • Capital Formation: Integrating Technology at Scale
  • Operating with Impact: Strengthening Climate Equity and Community Engagement
  • A Dynamic Energy Transition: Career Pivots and Resilience
  • Policies Needed to Help Scale Breakthrough Technology
  • Making the Global Local: Your Part in the Energy Transition
  • Your Future in the Tech-Enabled Economy-Making "Sustainability" Sustainable

The cohort encourages those professionals with 10+ years of experience in the energy field, startup founders or principals in the energy sector, manufacturers, supply chain managers and logistics professionals, energy services professionals, external affairs, corporate affairs and government relations professionals. The cost is $7,000.

“Houston’s talent will play a crucial role in shaping the energy transition,” the GHP said in a news release.

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Oxy subsidiary granted landmark EPA permits for carbon capture facility

making progress

Houston’s Occidental Petroleum Corp., or Oxy, and its subsidiary 1PointFive announced that the U.S Environmental Protection Agency approved its Class VI permits to sequester carbon dioxide captured from its STRATOS Direct Air Capture (DAC) facility near Odessa. These are the first such permits issued for a DAC project, according to a news release.

The $1.3 billion STRATOS project, which 1PointFive is developing through a joint venture with investment manager BlackRock, is designed to capture up to 500,000 metric tons of CO2 annually and is expected to begin commercial operations this year. DAC technology pulls CO2 from the air at any location, not just where carbon dioxide is emitted. Major companies, such as Microsoft and AT&T, have secured carbon removal credit agreements through the project.

The permits are issued under the Safe Drinking Water Act's Underground Injection Control program. The captured CO2 will be stored in geologic formations more than a mile underground, meeting the EPA’s review standards.

“This is a significant milestone for the company as we are continuing to develop vital infrastructure that will help the United States achieve energy security,” Vicki Hollub, Oxy president and CEO, said in a news release.“The permits are a catalyst to unlock value from carbon dioxide and advance Direct Air Capture technology as a solution to help organizations address their emissions or produce vital resources and fuels.”

Additionally, Oxy and 1PointFive announced the signing of a 25-year offtake agreement for 2.3 million metric tons of CO2 per year from CF Industries’ upcoming Bluepoint low-carbon ammonia facility in Ascension Parish, Louisiana.

The captured CO2 will be transported to and stored at 1PointFive’s Pelican Sequestration Hub, which is currently under development. Eventually, 1PointFive’s Pelican hub in Louisiana will include infrastructure to safely and economically sequester industrial emissions in underground geologic formations, similar to the STRATOS project.

“CF Industries’ and its partners' confidence in our Pelican Sequestration Hub is a validation of our expertise managing carbon dioxide and how we collaborate with industrial organizations to become their commercial sequestration partner,” Jeff Alvarez, President of 1PointFive Sequestration, said in a news release.

1PointFive is storing up to 20 million tons of CO2 per year, according to the company.

“By working together, we can unlock the potential of American manufacturing and energy production, while advancing industries that deliver high-quality jobs and economic growth,” Alvarez said in a news release.

Houston energy-focused AI platform raises $5M in Mercury-led seed round

fresh funding

Houston-based Collide, a provider of generative artificial intelligence for the energy sector, has raised $5 million in seed funding led by Houston’s Mercury Fund.

Other investors in the seed round include Bryan Sheffield, founder of Austin-based Parsley Energy, which was acquired by Dallas-based Pioneer Natural Resources in 2021; Billy Quinn, founder and managing partner of Dallas-based private equity firm Pearl Energy Investments; and David Albin, co-founder and former managing partner of Dallas-based private equity firm NGP Capital Partners.

“(Collide) co-founders Collin McLelland and Chuck Yates bring a unique understanding of the oil and gas industry,” Blair Garrou, managing partner at Mercury, said in a news release. “Their backgrounds, combined with Collide’s proprietary knowledge base, create a significant and strategic moat for the platform.”

Collide, founded in 2022, says the funding will enable the company to accelerate the development of its GenAI platform. GenAI creates digital content such as images, videos, text, and music.

Originally launched by Houston media organization Digital Wildcatters as “a professional network and digital community for technical discussions and knowledge sharing,” the company says it will now shift its focus to rolling out its enterprise-level, AI-enabled solution.

Collide explains that its platform gathers and synthesizes data from trusted sources to deliver industry insights for oil and gas professionals. Unlike platforms such as OpenAI, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot, Collide’s platform “uniquely accesses a comprehensive, industry-specific knowledge base, including technical papers, internal processes, and a curated Q&A database tailored to energy professionals,” the company said.

Collide says its approximately 6,000 platform users span 122 countries.

CenterPoint reports progress on grid improvements ahead of 2025 hurricane season

grid resilience

As part of an ongoing process to make Houston better prepared for climate disasters, CenterPoint Energy announced its latest progress update on the second phase of the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative (GHRI).

CenterPoint reported that it has completed 70 percent of its resiliency work and all GHRI-related actions are expected to be complete before the official start of the 2025 hurricane season.

"Our entire CenterPoint Houston Electric team is focused on completing this historic suite of grid resiliency actions before the start of hurricane season,” Darin Carroll, Senior Vice President of CenterPoint's Electric Business, said in a news release. “That is our goal, and we will achieve it. To date, we have made significant progress as part of this historic effort.”

CenterPoint’s resiliency solutions include clearing higher-risk vegetation across thousands of miles of power lines, adding thousands more automation devices capable of self-healing, installing thousands of storm-resistant poles, and undergrounding hundreds of miles of power lines.

CenterPoint's GHRI efforts, which entered a second phase in September 2024, aim to improve overall grid resiliency and reliability and are estimated to reduce outages for customers by more than 125 million minutes annually, according to the company. It has undergrounded nearly 350 miles of power lines, about 85 percent of the way toward its target of 400 miles, which will help improve resiliency and reduce the risk of outages. CenterPoint also aims to install the first of 100 new local weather monitoring stations by June 1.

In March, CenterPoint cleared 655 miles of high-risk vegetation near power lines, installed 1,215 automated reliability devices capable of self-healing, and added an additional 3,300 storm-resilient poles.

In April, CenterPoint will begin building a network of 100 new weather monitoring stations, which will provide 24/7 weather monitoring and storm response preparation.

“We will continue to work every day to complete these critical improvements as part of our company's goal of building the most resilient coastal grid in the country,” Carroll added in the release.