Engineer Alyssa Gates starts career after being inspired by iCan

Alyssa Gates recently joined the company as an engineer in general transmission, but this isn’t her first time surrounded by Mississippi Power engineers.

Eight years ago, when Alyssa was in high school, she attended an iCan Girls in Engineering workshop hosted by the company. Before she attended, Alyssa didn’t give much thought to a career in engineering, but after that day, everything changed.

“The last workstation of the day was one geared towards industrial engineering,” said Gates. “I learned that industrial engineering had a business aspect and was more people-oriented. Everything just clicked, and I remember telling my mom when I got home that I wanted to be an industrial engineer.”

A few short years later, Alyssa proudly graduated from Mississippi State University with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering. However, she still had a decision to make.

“During my undergraduate program, I interned with Southern Company Services in Birmingham and had a great experience,” said Gates. “When I graduated, I was fortunate to have a job offer from them and Mississippi Power.”

Ultimately, she chose to accept the offer from Mississippi Power. A Gulf Coast native, Alyssa not only wanted to be close to her family but said the company’s welcoming atmosphere and the feeling that she was a part of a tight-knit family made the decision easy.

“Navigating my new role in transmission has been a fun and unique learning experience,” said Gates. “The job aligns with my career interests, and I get to apply what I learned in school every day. I’m grateful for this opportunity and that my STEM teacher recommended that I attend iCan back in high school.”

Now in its 97th year of operations, Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), produces safe, reliable and affordable energy for nearly 191,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. Mississippi Power recently was a recipient of the Community Partner Impact Award from the Center for Energy Workforce Development for its innovative and ongoing efforts to build a diverse workforce. With nearly 160 megawatts of approved solar energy capacity, Mississippi Power is the largest partner in providing renewable energy in the state of Mississippi. Visit our websites at mississippipower.com and mississippipowernews.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

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