By Tonya Whitaker
NDG Staff Writer
Atmos Energy recently held a press conference to announce its partnership with the city of Dallas and Dallas ISD to help the district’s graduates secure employment or earn a scholarship to attend an accredited college or university.
DISD Partnership at Work Pilot Program will offer graduates of The Great James Madison High School an opportunity to enter the workforce full time (40 hours per week) while continuing their education. The program offers reimbursement opportunities for employees who opt to attend college upon completion of the program. The program will be designed to allow candidates to experience in a number of field and technical positions within Atmos Energy’s Dallas Service Center.
The program is multi-tier model designed to help successful new hires learn core business practices and skills. Each tier will consists of a specified period of time in a targeted job field. At the completion of each tier, Atmos will evaluate the candidates. Exemplary performance will permit the candidate to more to the next tier. Candidates who do not meet evaluation requirements will be released from the program. At completion of the three tiers, a final evaluation is completed.
Candidates with exemplary performance may be offered the following two options: one, candidates who consistently participate in the education assistance program and achieve 15 credit hours of courses with a grade of C or better at the completion of the two-year multi-tier program will be eligible to pursue school full-time at their discretion. Atmos will offer the candidate up to $2,000 for a scholarship, payable to the college or university of the candidate’s choice. This option will terminate employment at Atmos. Two, candidate may continue employment with Atmos at regular full-time hours and will be eligible for benefits.
New hires will earn $11.50 an hour for approximately the first 15 months from hire or the first full year review cycle to stay in alignment with Atmos Energy’s annual review period. After the review period and depending upon their level of performance they will be compensated for their work and eligible for full-time pay.
