Energy Employees Need to Understand Basic Energy Concepts
by Bob Shively, Enerdynamics President and Lead Facilitator
To be successful in today’s world, energy companies including utilities, service providers, and technology vendors must hire employees with a vast set of skills. In past decades new employees often were hired with technical backgrounds and already had necessary basic knowledge of the industry. Today’s new employees often have desired skills but little to no knowledge of the energy basics. This lack of knowledge limits their ability to quickly assimilate and interact effectively with customers, stakeholders, and other employees.
The traditional method of educating new or unskilled employees has often been to let them “learn on the job.” But as Deloitte notes in its paper The connected employee | The utility’s most important asset: “Profound industry-wide challenges, rapid workplace technology developments and shifting workforce dynamics are transforming the relationship between the utility and its workforce.”
Deloitte pictures this change with the following graphic:
Even in an economy slowed by COVID-19, most energy companies are finding a need to rapidly hire and develop new talent. In working with our clients, Enerdynamics has found a strong desire for quality options to prepare new employees. In a recent blog, we discussed onboarding options for a new generation of utility employees. Expanding on this topic, below are three basic online courses that, in less than an hour each, provide employees with the basic concepts needed to better understand the energy industry:
- Basic Concepts of Electricity
With a running time of 50 minutes, this course covers basic characteristics of electricity and electric circuits, the numerous qualitative and quantitative terms used to describe electricity, and answers questions like ‘what is electricity?’ in the most basic way. Free demo available here.
- Basic Concepts of Energy Regulation
This 50-minute course introduces the basic concepts of regulation as they apply to the natural gas and electric industries including what regulation is, how it works, and who regulates energy companies. Free demo available here.
- Basic Concepts of Natural Gas
Just released, this 35-minute course explains the basic characteristics of natural gas and its key properties, the different types of natural gas, and the ways in which it is measured. Free demo available here.
By investing in a little onboarding training, employees are better equipped and more confident in their new roles within the energy industry. And this translates to a more effective workforce and increased productivity for you, the employer! Bulk licenses and volume discounts are available. on all of Enerdynamics online courses. Get more information by sending us an email or calling us at 866-765-5432 ext. 700.
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