Why Energy Transition Requires Comprehensive Employee Training
Energy transition may sound like a utility buzzword, but it’s definitely a real phenomenon. It might not exactly be “the end of the grid as we know it” (shoutout to R.E.M.), but there is little doubt that the evolution of the electric grid is in full swing.
The Importance of Training in the Context of Energy Transition
Between the integration of clean energy sources, to the development of EV charging capabilities, to the implementation of climate-induced storm hardening practices, to the mass-retirement of Boomer-generation workers, the only constant is change in the utility industry for the foreseeable future. For this reason, utility efforts around employee training will need to ramp up substantially.
Utilities of all sectors have accumulated decades of collective knowledge that dictates how operational activities should be structured, executed and monitored. And this is the main problem. The “good old days” are vanishing, and utility personnel need to keep up. This necessitates a new perspective on the way things have always been done, which requires extensive training (among other things, including executive support, cultural buy-in, system enhancements, etc.).
Unfortunately, I believe that many industry leaders have lost sight of the need for training programs to keep up with industry changes. Existing utility training curriculums have become stale. While there continues to be a large focus on exercises and drills, and rightfully so, utility leaders are spending too much time focused on improving recovery efforts and not enough time preparing employees to adapt to the macro-level changes currently happening in the industry.
My prediction is that the energy transition will eventually serve as a “gotcha” for many electric utilities, because although leaders are aware of the evolution, employees generally have not been properly trained to adapt their work processes to the changes. Bottom line – get ready for a bumpy energy transition.
