Hawaiian Electric Employees Share Skills With West Students
This year’s Hawaiian Electric interns are (from left) Pohaikealoha Duarte, Jron Irons, Zeffaniyah Kauihana-Kaimimoku and Harmonie Westbrook. Photo from Hawaiian Electric Co.
Continuing its summertime tradition, Hawaiian Electric Co. welcomed four high school students from West Oahu for a two-week internship in June.
This year’s students are Pohaikealoha Duarte from Kapolei High, Jron Irons from Campbell High, and Zeffaniyah Kauihana-Kaimimoku and Harmonie Westbrook from Waianae High.
“We’re happy to be able to provide this unique opportunity to teach them new skills and hopefully make a positive impact on their future career path,” said Cybil Rawlins of HECO’s Education and Consumer Affairs.
The internship is provided through a partnership with the state Department of Education and has been offered annually since 1995.
Each of the students was paired with various departments. Kauihana-Kaimimoku and Westbrook worked with apprentice lineman in the Construction and Maintenance department, Duarte trained with the Electrical, Body, Fender and Welding team, and Irons helped Fleet Services maintain its vehicles.
“They always are happy about what they do, and they really take a lot of pride,” said Irons of his Fleet Services co-workers. “And that’s what I learned, to really take pride in your work and never to give it just half of you. Give it all you got. And to take into consideration that the cars we work on — people trust their lives with us — so work on those cars and give it back to them 100 percent. That’s something I really liked — learning how to take pride in my work.”
“I’m glad I got to experience it,” added Westbrook. “To see how it actually is instead of just driving past the (Kahe Point) plant and wondering what’s inside.”
They’re not the only ones who were happy to have the experience. “Our crews look forward to the internship each year just as much as the students do,” said Rawlins. “They enjoy sharing their knowledge and teaching new skills to these bright students.”
