For Immediate Release
Contact: Scott Bates, 303.804.4675, sbates@cael.org
EPCE Energy Industry Coalition Announces Online Smart Grid Course Aimed at Customer Service Reps as Part of DOE Grant
August 2, 2011, Denver, CO - The Energy Providers Coalition for Education (EPCE) has launched a new online course designed to provide important training in the areas of clean energy solutions and smart grid deployment for customer service and call center employees as well as anyone who would like to know more about smart grid.
Smart Grid, Smart Customer provides a non-technical overview of a smart grid and helps utility industry employees respond to questions about smart grid and alleviate customer confusion about the new technology as it is introduced.
"The information in this course is at a level that any employee would be able to understand," said one customer service representative who completed the pilot phase of the course. "It would be beneficial to all employees in understanding the smart grid."
Designed as an overview, this 90-minute course was developed in collaboration with EPCE's education partner, Bismarck State College's National Energy Center of Excellence, as part of a U.S. Department of Energy workforce training and development grant administered by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Students can access the course online anytime, anywhere.
This course is part of a series of online smart grid courses (information available at www.epceonline.org/smartgrid) being developed to provide workforce preparedness training for thousands of current and prospective energy utility employees with the support and expertise of EPCE's DOE grant partners: Arizona Public Service; ComEd, an Exelon Company; JEA; Northeast Utilities Service Company; Oklahoma Gas and Electric; and PJM Interconnection. EPCE association partners, the American Public Power Association (APPA), Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA), and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), are providing additional support for the program.
Representing approximately two-thirds of the industry workforce, EPCE is a unique coalition of industry organizations that partner with higher-education to develop, sponsor, and promote online learning programs to help the energy industry meet its workforce needs.
"With this funding, we, with our energy partners and our founding education partner, have co-designed new online curriculum to help prepare the vital energy workforce for rapid technological changes coming to the industry," said Jo Winger de Rondon, vice president of CAEL. "Leveraging the historical success of the national EPCE Coalition provides a 'shovel-ready' infrastructure to quickly develop and deliver this new online curriculum."
About EPCE
The Energy Providers Coalition for Education (www.epceonline.org) is a national alliance delivering solutions to attract and engage the energy industry's workforce through quality online education. These programs offer interested candidates and incumbent workers technical skills as well as academic knowledge needed for industry career paths in electric utilities, nuclear power, and gas distribution. EPCE members, representing over two-thirds of the industry, champion industry needs in their joint efforts to develop and sponsor online curriculum with qualified accredited high schools, colleges, and universities. EPCE celebrates its 10-year anniversary in 2011.
About CAEL
The EPCE program is a signature initiative of CAEL, the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (www.cael.org), an international non-profit organization with more than 35 years experience in creating and managing effective learning strategies for working adults through partnerships with employers, higher education, the public sector, and labor. CAEL is headquartered in Chicago and has regional offices in Denver and Philadelphia.
About Bismarck State College's National Energy Center of Excellence
Bismarck State College's National Energy Center of Excellence offers online and classroom training for the energy industry. Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees can be earned, or courses can simply be taken for professional development and training. Classes are available in Electric Power Technology (distribution), Electrical Transmission Systems Technology (system operations), Power Plant, Process (refining, gasification, ethanol, biodiesel), Nuclear Power and Renewable Generation (wind, solar, tidal, hydro, biomass) Technologies. In addition, a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Energy Management is available entirely online. The classes are offered in a convenient block-style format, giving students the opportunity to complete a class in 3-6 weeks. The National Energy Center of Excellence is also known for their non-credit offerings such as apprenticeship programs, customized training and NERC CEH courses.
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