Public Power - September/October 2007 - (Page 26)

Training Tomorrow’s Work Force In California, apprenticeship programs pair an employer with an educational institution. “These are ‘earn while you learn’ programs that combine on-the-job training and coursework,” said IID’s Johnson. “We might get 60-70 applications for a first-year apprenticeship. Unemployment in Imperial Valley is about 17 percent, so these are highly sought-after classes.” The Northeast Public Power Association administers a lineworker apprenticeship program for members of the Municipal Electric Utilities Association of New York. The four-year course of instruction combines hands-on field training and formal classroom training. The village of Spencerport, N.Y., recently enrolled a new hire in the entry-level program. “Our managers are happy with the program,” said Jack Linder, superintendent of Spencerport Municipal Electric Franchise. The University of Northern Iowa spon- The obvious choice for substation control houses. Parkline: sors what it calls a 2+2 program. Students enrolled in the program earn an associate of applied science degree, and then take the coursework needed for a four-year degree. Now, the university—together with Cedar Falls Utilities, the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities and the state’s community colleges—has proposed expanding that program to meet the needs of the state’s municipal utilities. “We would provide the coursework needed for an employee to move to a higher-level position in the utility industry,” said Charles Johnson, University of Northern Iowa professor of industrial technology. The challenge, said Johnson, is delivering the program on a statewide basis. “You need distance delivery, training of a cohort of instructors who can provide some training at their own utilities.” The program is designed to reach what Johnson calls location-bound utility workers. “We need to deliver courses to them.” There are advantages to starting the program locally, said Johnson. “You need leaders who believe in the program, and you might be more likely to find them locally. But the problem with staying local is that you might not have the numbers you need to build a program that will provide the utility workers you need.” The University of Northern Iowa plans to field test the program soon. And there SPCC COMPLIANT? Simple Solutions for: Pad-Mounts Substation control houses are our speciality. Our unique metal buildings are attractive, durable and maintenance free. Discover the Parkline difference today. Call us for a detailed quote or speci cation CD. Barrier Booms & Mats for Substations and other Facilities Hydrocarbon Flow Filters for Existing Contained Areas and Gravity Drains Emergency Spill Kits Phone: 1.800.786.4855 Web: www.parkline.com Quality you can trust. 26 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2007 11760 Commonwealth Dr. Louisville, KY 40299 1-866-CIAGENT Booth www.ciagent.com 124 PUBLIC POWER

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Public Power - September/October 2007

Contents Washington Focus 10 Questions Public Power (Every) Week Training Tomorrow’s Work Force What’s in Your Wallet? U.S. Lags in Broadband Deployment Now What? For Engineers Safety Community Broadband For Governing Boards Human Resources Hometown Connections Customer Service DEED Index to Advertisers Advertisers by Category Parting Shot

Public Power - September/October 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.