 |
 |
 |
  |
  |
 What is Electric Power Technology?
|
 |
Companies often utilize BSC's Electric Power Technology program as part of their overall training package or for position qualifications for internal promotions. The following are some examples of what companies have utilized along with their testimony to the success of using BSC's programs: Florida Power & Light Like many companies, FPL was looking for a way to lower operational costs in various business units. One of the positions they wanted to address was an entry level project design position in their Service Centers that traditionally had been filled by engineers with Bachelor's degrees. This position experienced high turnover as engineers moved into other roles in staff and operations. FPL needed a way to fill these designer positions, lower turnover rates, and reduce operational costs. FPL carefully reviewed BSC's online Electric Power Technology degree curriculum and identified seven courses that met the educational requirements to qualify as an Associate Project Designer, a position created to provide the basic job functions of a project designer, but without requiring the credentials of a degreed engineer. This would allow FPL to adjust the ratio of engineers to non-engineers in the Service Centers, thereby stabilizing the positions and creating a career path for individuals to remain in these jobs for longer periods of time. In order to be eligible for a position as an Associate Designer, employees first must complete the seven courses selected by FPL: ENRT 103 Applied Math And even more important, with a structured career path in place, employees entering the positions can "hit the ground running", according to Maria Cardenas, Training Manager for the Distribution Business Unit. Before implementation of the new program, employees had to be nurtured and guided individually on the job. Now the educational requirement ensures that the employee has the knowledge and training to do the job well right from the start. Salt River Project In 2004, SRP implemented a major reorganization within their Electrical Distribution Design Group. The goal of the reorganization was to double the distribution design production while maintaining the same number of personnel assigned to the design task. As part of the reorganization, a new design process was implemented. The new process eliminated half the job functions required to produce a design. As a result, every employee's job was changed. Employees who had worked as administrators, drafters, and mappers were transitioned into positions as multi-skilled designers and design consultants. It became evident that even though SRP already provided in-house training, as well as on-the-job training, they needed to find a more consistent, streamlined way to provide technical training for these employees. SRP identified 10 courses from BSC's Electric Power Technology program that were further customized and established as an internal certificate (SRP PACE Multi-Skilled Designer Training Program Certificate) required for employees wishing to move into positions within the Electrical Design Group: ENRT 102: Introduction to the Electrical Industry One immediate result was the increased knowledge the employees acquired, which allowed them to complete designs with fewer handoffs. When asked what they have obtained from participation in the online training, the Electrical Distribution Design Group employees do not hesitate to explain how they have gained a theoretical understanding of the work they are doing. The return on SRP's investment in this online training is clear. Employees are better prepared to deal with the reorganization of the Design Group and are able to do the new work consistently and efficiently. More employees are enrolling everyday in BSC courses. For SRP, this is a reliable, effective, and user-friendly way of providing training for their employees. |
 |
1200 Schafer St |
|||||||||||
 |
  |
 |
|||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Site created by K2 Interactive || © 2006, Bismarck State College || Comments: BSC Web Development |
|||||||||||||||
