By Jeff Krakowiak, Eaton
Necessity is the mother of invention. Nearly every training, conference, and industry event moved online for more than a year due to the pandemic. While there’s hope on the horizon that in-person education sessions will return, we believe online training is here to stay. The challenge is making virtual programs as (or more) effective as traditional in-person interactions and hands-on learning environments.
Until the pandemic hit, 12,000 people attended Eaton Experience Centers for hands-on training programs each year. As training leaders, we recognize there will always be a need for in-person education sessions. At the same time, we’ve accelerated virtual learning programs to fill the void created by canceled or postponed events.
Part of this shift means making valuable resources available remotely, including access to our experts for live online sessions to foster the connections and discussions that are central to industry education.
Despite current social-distancing restrictions, training and education continue to be especially important today. Here’s why:
1. Energy delivery systems and sources are changing. The energy transition created a new power paradigm. Power used to flow in one direction — from where it was generated to where it was used. Now, power must flow bidirectionally between distributed energy resources (DERs). Now and in the future, electrical infrastructure needs to do much more than receive power from the grid for distribution to building loads and equipment. The proliferation of DERs (like renewables and energy storage) requires more technical know-how.
2. Technology marches forward with advances in digitalization and cybersecurity. There’s an opportunity to solve critical power management challenges by leveraging intelligent, actionable insights from data and connected devices. Education and training are critical to keep up with these power system changes. For example, in the past few years alone, the proliferation of connected devices has spurred the development of completely new UL and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) cybersecurity assessment programs.
3. Codes and standards rule everything, and they change regularly. No matter if you’re experienced, new to the industry, or somewhere in between, keeping up with the National Electrical Code and other industry standards is a continuous journey.
4. Workforce retirements mean that young engineers must fill positions of senior retirements. We see the retirements of many of colleagues on the horizon; customers are telling us the same thing. Young engineers and electricians need in-depth knowledge about how electrical systems are constructed and operated.
5. Construction project schedules continue to get squeezed. Time and budget pressures make training and tools to support productivity critical. With limited time and resources, the availability of online and on-demand training is a must.
Prior to the pandemic, training was already becoming more digital. However, the last year and a half made the shift to virtual educational environments move at a lightning pace. With this shift come both opportunities and challenges.
On the upside, more people can attend virtual events, less time is required, there are no travel-related costs, and (in some cases) you can get a closer look at energized electrical equipment. Further, for complex topics, you can take a slower, self-paced approach.
However, there’s no doubt challenges exist as well. For example, some online training misses out on meaningful peer-to-peer interactions, networking, and mentoring. As anyone with school-age children knows, there isn’t an easy substitute for in-person interactions with teachers and peers. How do you know if the resources you’re viewing are credible? So it’s critical to ensure power industry professionals can rely on a trusted advisor who provides experience and guidance needed to succeed.
Training has always been important for power industry professionals. Yet, our energy infrastructure is changing fast — the energy transition underway is a massive shift — so access to effective electrical training programs will be even more important to keep up in the future.
Jeff Krakowiak is the senior vice president of marketing and commercial operations, electrical sector for Eaton.
