POWER June 2015 - 36

WORKFORCE
Power Plant Boot Camp:
Training the Next Generation of
Leaders and Managers
Courtesy: U.S. Marine Corps/ Cpl. Jericho W. Crutcher
At every stage along the power plant promotion track, individuals assuming new
leadership positions can find themselves unprepared to deal with new responsibilities.
From contracts and regulatory and financial responsibilities to managing those
who used to be peers, this article addresses common challenges and best practice
solutions to ensure the success of your team.
Jeff Fassett, PE
S
ome of you may have served in the
military, and if you did, I want to thank
you for your service. I am sure that
you will remember the fun days you spent at
basic training, or boot camp, as most would
call it. Each of the branches has its own location
for the training, but wherever it was,
you would have spent those early, formative
days and weeks of your military tenure with
a friendly drill instructor politely guiding you
in the finer points of military life.
You learned the fundamentals, such as how
to march, drill, shoot, make your bed, and
say " Yes, Sergeant, " " No, Master Chief, " or
" Yes Sir, Gunny. " From there it was on to " A "
school-at least that's what it was called in
the Navy-to learn your trade, craft, or specialty
skill, such as how to be a mechanic, infantry
soldier, or turbine tech, most of which
can be applied to life after the military.
Having had the privilege and honor of
not only being raised in a military family
but also knowing and working with many
former military personnel in the almost 30
36
years that I have been in the power industry,
I am thankful for these men and women
and the training that they have received. I
am proud to have had the opportunity to personally
hire several former military personnel.
I have found them to be disciplined as
well as willing and able to be trained. They
understand work ethic and service. They are
typically motivated and hardworking.
But where do you go for basic training for
the power industry? I know some people who
started off in this industry turning wrenches
or calibrating gauges, others who began as
laborers, and some who started out as operators.
I know others still who have come
in through the college route, as engineers or
business types. But once you are in the door,
how do you gather and amass the power industry
acumen required to operate and manage
a complex multimillion-dollar facility?
You certainly don't have the luxury of going
away for six weeks or more of camp, where
some sergeant or chief tells you how nice it is
that you are there, as they kindly and gently
www.powermag.com
teach you how to perform your assigned task
(Figure 1).
Over the years, IEM Energy Consultants
has worked with various clients worldwide,
and without fail, they all struggle with the
question: " How do we properly train and prepare
our people to take on leadership roles
in the future? " This article explores various
methods that have been used at plants-large
1. Welcome to the military,
Maggot! Drill instructors prepare recruits
mentally and physically for the rigors of battle.
Courtesy: U.S. Marine Corps/Sgt. Reece Lodder
POWER | June 2015
http://www.powermag.com
POWER June 2015

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