TOLEDO, Ohio, Oct. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Toledo Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), is partnering with Owens Community College to reinstate its award-winning program to train the next generation of utility line and substation workers.

The Power Systems Institute is a two-year program that combines hands-on utility skills at a Toledo Edison training facility with technical coursework in an Owens Community College classroom. Program graduates will earn an Associate of Technical Studies degree with a focus on electric utility technology.

"The Power Systems Institute already has provided Toledo Edison with nearly 100 highly qualified employees who are working in the field today, using the training they received from this unique program to keep the lights on for our customers," said Linda Moss, regional vice president of Toledo Edison. "Whether it's linemen who work above ground or substation personnel who operate on the ground, PSI provides great training for someone looking for a career in the utility industry."

"Owens Community College is pleased to reactivate the Power Systems Institute," said Mike Bower, Ph.D., president of Owens Community College. "This program fits perfectly into our mission to provide our future workforce with practical skills that are both useful and marketable."

FirstEnergy originally introduced PSI in 2000 as a way to help replace retiring line workers. Programs were established with colleges throughout the company's six-state service area, including Owens Community College. With the economic downturn, in 2011 most of the PSI programs were placed on hold because projected hiring needs did not support bringing in new students. As future manpower needs at FirstEnergy were re-evaluated, the decision was made to reinstate the PSI program, targeting a fall of 2015 enrollment class.

Program openings are limited, and applicants will be assessed through a competitive, multi-step process. An orientation program for prospective candidates will take place Saturday, December 6, 2014, from 10 a.m. to noon at Owens Community College - Toledo Area Campus, 30335 Oregon Rd., Perrysburg, Ohio, 43551. For more information, please visit www.firstenergycorp.com/psi or call 800-829-6801.

Toledo Edison serves more than 300,000 customers in northwest Ohio. Follow Toledo Edison on Twitter @ToledoEdison.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York.

Owens Community College has served Northwest Ohio since 1965 as an accredited two-year, state-assisted institution of higher education with an open-door admission policy. With a commitment to providing small classes, personal attention and unmatched affordability, the College serves the diverse academic needs of credit and non-credit students on the Toledo-area and Findlay-area campuses, as well as at the Owens Community College Learning Center Maumee and the Owens Community College Learning Center Downtown Toledo. Owens offers associate degrees in the Arts and Sciences and technical program areas in Agriculture, Business, Health Sciences, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Skilled Trades, and Engineering and Transportation Technologies. Owens Community College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and has 54 programs that are accredited through their own discipline-specific accrediting bodies. For more information, visit www.owens.edu.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.