Renzo Lopez

“If I actually had to go to a classroom, it would have been a much longer process.”

Renzo Lopez, a former car salesman and family man, decided to transition into the energy industry after seeing the benefits and stability the industry offered.  He started out as a meter reader and later transferred into the fleet department.  Not long after starting his new career at ComEd, he received information about the EPCE sponsored online education programs.  Having several college credits under his belt and a desire to complete a degree, Renzo enrolled in BSC’s Electric Power Technology (ELPW) program in the fall of 2007.

Being married, having two young children and a mortgage, while going to school was a balancing act for Renzo.  “I enjoy spending time with my kids and luckily, my wife was very supportive.  If I needed to take a test, she would help out with the kids.”

Renzo believes that his new degree gives him an extra edge when applying for positions.  “Before I enrolled in the program, I was inexperienced and knew very little about the industry.  But now, I’ve learned a lot.”  His advice to others is, “Be persistent about the program.  Everything falls into place.”

While going through the program, Renzo’s interest in substations has grown.  “Ideally, I would like to be a substation operator or transformer technician,” he remarks.  Renzo plans to pursue his Bachelor’s degree soon, but for now, he is focused on that substation position.