HR

Generating companies wondering if concerns about cybersecurity are overblown got some rude wake-up calls this winter. The first call came when Ukrainian media reported that a December 23 blackout that left

Thomas Edison State College, located in Trenton, N.J., has created an online program through which students can obtain a graduate certificate in cybersecurity with a focus on utility environments. The

All power generating companies and plant operators value reliability, but they may be paying too little attention to a critical variable: people. One million. That’s the approximate number of people in the sky over the U.S. as you read this article. Remarkably, all will land safely. Aviation achieves among the highest reliability of any industry. […]

Millennials have landed in the workforce. This is the generation that marketing and lifestyle gurus have been attempting to dissect, and now senior executives are starting to internalize what all the fuss was about—Millennials are a little different. At Student Energy, we’re working with university students to create the next generation of energy leaders. We […]

Nearly everyone in the power sector has a co-worker or colleague who served in the armed forces, or themselves served in the military. While this has been the case for decades, specific efforts to hire veterans into the generation industry have gained steam and are being better recognized in recent years. To highlight efforts that […]

If you work for a power generator or utility, chances are good that your company has concerns about filling open positions with qualified people. Though many utilities work closely with local community colleges, that approach often is not enough, and that’s where the Energy Providers Coalition for Education (EPCE) can help. This year for the […]

This resource list is a web-only supplement to the June 2015 issue of POWER feature story on women in the power generation sector and results of our April 2015 survey of women in the power industry. Although coal and gas provide a larger percentage of U.S. electricity than nuclear, wind, or solar energy, the fossil […]

I’m sure readers of this magazine have noticed the increased emphasis in the U.S. recently on promoting STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education. That’s a good thing, but it’s not enough. To improve the odds of achieving the goals that STEM promoters have—including a better-trained workforce and economic leadership—we should be adding an “A” […]

With the increasing number of technical and economic changes affecting the power industry, the value of women in the workforce has never been higher. This follow-up to our 2008 special report, “Workforce Management Lessons from Women in Power Generation,” looks at how having women visible throughout the industry can make it more successful.  For our […]

  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. […]

How do women in the power generation business—in power plants and in the vendor community—view their jobs in this male-dominated industry? In what is likely the first survey open to women across the industry, they told us. The November 2008 issue of POWER included an industry-first in-depth look at women in the power industry, “Workforce […]

Studies and surveys have predicted a future shortage of skilled workers in the power industry for many years. Unfortunately, the future is here. When qualified workers are difficult to locate, some companies are finding that technology and service contracts allow them to do more with less. It’s no secret that the traditional power industry workforce […]

The first class of Marine trainees at Camp Pendleton graduated from the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) solar job training pilot program last Friday. The program is aimed at preparing service members for careers in the solar industry such as solar photovoltaic system installers, sales representatives, and system inspectors. Camp Pendleton is one of three military […]

A combination of falling natural gas prices, greater integration of renewable generation, and advancing technology has meant changing roles for many plants, particularly gas turbine combined cycle plants. (See “Managing the Changing Profile of a Combined Cycle Plant” in the June 2014 issue.) The added wear and tear on plant equipment, and the changing maintenance […]

A new power grid exhibit opens June 7 at the Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh, N.C. Kid Grid—sponsored by ABB—will introduce children to electricity and power grid technology through hands-on play. Utilities have a vested interest in maintaining an educated workforce and breaking through traditional gender stereotypes. Studies have shown that the U.S. is lagging behind […]

It is an exciting time to be a part of the energy industry. New technology is being developed in almost every sector of the business. The coal industry is working on carbon capture and storage solutions

We all know someone who either is, or was, in the military. In fact, many utility industry professionals were once in the military themselves. Personnel learn many valuable lessons in the armed forces

Black & Veatch expects sustained growth across global energy markets in 2014 with several ongoing themes continuing. Key market drivers supporting power infrastructure spend remain the same, centering on

The business environment for generating companies worldwide continues to become increasingly complex, and not just as a result of regulations. Even in the U.S., the concerns and constraints faced by generators

Knowing that safety is important is clearly not enough to create (or even put a dent in creating) a culture of safety and incident-free environments. We have heard the messages: “Safety First,” “Target Zero” and, as a very dedicated guy in rural Louisiana explained it, “We ain’t toleratin’ no more dead dudes!” As powerful and […]

Employees are increasingly turning to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to share information about their jobs. To the chagrin of companies everywhere, employees are also using social media sites to complain about their jobs. More and more, employers are having to make tough decisions about when and how to discipline employees for negative […]

Tempting as it may be to put off tough conversations with subordinates, doing so almost always leads to bigger and bigger problems down the line.

Firing someone is never easy or fun. It isn’t supposed to be.

Finding the right people to work with is critical to success, but getting there is no accident.

It’s never fun to realize you’re wrong. But effective leaders know when to admit it and take their lumps.

Taking an activist stance in favor of unions,  the National Labor Relations Board recently ruled that employers must continued to withdraw union dues from paychecks even after a collective bargaining agreement has expired. But another court ruling may place this NLRB decision—and many others—in doubt.

Hiring an owner’s engineer may add some upfront expense to your O&M budget, but over the long term, it can reap big savings in successfully navigating planned and unplanned outages.

How do you get "beyond" perfection? With a willingness to course-correct and an awareness of when it’s necessary.

Firing a worker is not an easy task, something no conscientious manager takes lightly. And the decision can come back to bite. But it is sometimes necessary and there are ways to do the job that minimize the risks to the organization.