FPL and Florida International University open first-ever student-staffed customer care center

Unique partnership offers local students paid employment and real-life work experience

Creating a talent pipeline for the future and providing employment opportunities for college students, Florida Power & Light Company and Florida International University have  launched the utility’s first on-campus customer care center to answer calls from FPL customers in need of assistance.

This one-of-a-kind operation will provide students with valuable work experience with a first-class customer service team that has won a record seven consecutive ServiceOne awards for excellence.

“FPL and our parent company, NextEra Energy, currently employ more than 670 FIU alumni, making FIU our top supplier of graduates,” FPL President and CEO Armando J. Olivera said at today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. “Our theme for today’s event is ‘Fostering talent, building careers’ and that’s exactly what this partnership is about. We look forward to growing it and to recruiting exceptional people to provide our customers with the award-winning service they deserve.”

On an average day, FPL has approximately 475 customer care center representatives handling a total of 30,000 calls on topics ranging from bill payments to service transfers, which makes the role of a customer care representative a challenging job. The 21 participating FIU student employees, ranging from freshmen to seniors, had to undergo a rigorous application process, interview with FPL hiring managers and complete two and a half months of FPL customer care training before taking their first calls.

“At Florida International University, we are committed to providing each of our students with a Worlds Ahead education that will give them the tools they need to compete in the 21st century global marketplace,” said FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg. “We also are committed to joining forces with key institutions for our mutual benefit and the benefit of our community. This innovative call center will give our students the real world, on-the-job skills they need for their future careers and the opportunity to get a jump start on those careers at FPL.”

The diverse group of FIU student employees is equipped to help FPL customers in three languages: English, Spanish and Creole. They work part-time and are paid competitive wages, but this unique partnership is more than just a typical student job. Not only are the students receiving vocational training, but should they wish to continue their careers with FPL or other customer service-oriented companies after graduation, this important work experience will give them an advantage in today’s competitive job market.

“One of the best things is working on campus, unlike other jobs where you have to sacrifice your school schedule in order to go to work,” said Manuel Niño, FIU student and FPL customer care center representative. “I feel proud to say I work for FPL.”