Bridging the Wealth Gap

Pacific Gas and Electric Company is leveraging its resources to educate California Bay Area youth in disadvantaged communities about financial literacy—one classroom at a time.

This past February, 23 high school seniors in Oakland celebrated their graduation from an innovative financial education program hosted at the University of California, Berkeley. Each student received an $8,000 college scholarship—and perhaps more importantly, the knowledge and confidence to navigate personal finance, investing and wealth creation.

The PG&E Community Financial Education Program—a collaboration between PG&E, The PG&E Corporation Foundation, UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and Mills College at Northeastern University—aims to educate students about wealth accumulation and financial literacy. It is part of PG&E’s ongoing efforts to create meaningful change in disadvantaged communities.

Since its pilot launch in 2022, more than 70 students have graduated from the initiative, which immerses participants in an advanced financial education curriculum. Held at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, the program features courses led by distinguished faculty and financial industry professionals. Students also received mentorship from undergraduate students at Berkeley Haas and peer guidance in financial education. 

One of this year’s graduates, Ty Carter, a senior at Castlemont High School, expressed his appreciation for the program’s impact: “The program has been very beneficial in teaching me how to manage my finances, which is a critical life skill, especially as I prepare to attend a four-year university.”

That impact also extends beyond its graduates. As California moves toward making personal finance education a high school graduation requirement by 2031, programs like this serve as a model for equipping students with real-world financial skills.

It’s also a powerful example of how utilities can lead transformational change in the communities they serve. Additionally, it affirms PG&E’s commitment to help create prosperity for its customers and hometowns.

“We believe that providing early access to financial education is a vital step in equipping young people with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to navigate financial systems and create a foundation for long-term success,” said Vincent Davis, PG&E senior vice president of customer experience.