Credentialing in the Energy Industry

Valerie Taylor, Educational Consultant

Plant Operator Electrical Technician

Mechanical Technician

Instrument & Control Technician

Alternate Fuel Technicians

Lineworker Substation Technician

EngineeringTechnician

RelayTechnician

Natural Gas Technology

Business Fundamentals

Teamwork FollowingDirections

Planning, Organizing & Scheduling

Problem SolvingDecision Making Ethics

Employability &Entrepreneurship

Skills

Working with BasicHand & Power Tools

& Technology

MathematicsLocating,

Reading & Using Information

Writing Listening SpeakingEngineering & Technology

Critical & Analytical Thinking

Science Information Technology

Interpersonal Skills Integrity Professionalism Reputation Motivation Dependability 

& ReliabilitySelf‐

DevelopmentFlexibility & Adaptability

Ability To Learn

Non‐Nuclear Generation(Coal, Natural Gas, Oil, Hydro, Solar, Wind, 

Biofuel, Geothermal)Nuclear Generation

Electric Transmission &Distribution

Gas Transmission & Distribution

Tier 5 – Industry‐Specific Technical Competencies

Safety Awareness Industry Principles & Concepts

EnvironmentalLaws &

Regulations

Quality Control & Continuous Improvement Troubleshooting

Tier 4 – Industry‐Wide Technical Competencies

Tier 3 – Workplace Competencies

Tier 2 – Academic Competencies

Tier 1 – Personal Effectiveness Competencies

Tier 6‐8 – Occupation‐Specific Competencies

Energy Competency Model: Generation, Transmission & Distribution

Energy Competency Tier Model for Skilled Technician Positions in Energy Efficiency,Energy Generation and Energy Transmission and Distribution

Stackable Credentials

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Tier 6–8 Job Specific Skills/Credentials• Associate Degree• Boot Camp / Apprenticeship for College Credit

• Accelerated Associate Degree 

Tier 4–5 Industry Fundamentals• Energy Industry Fundamentals Certificate

Tier 1–3 Basic Training• Energy Industry Employability Skills Certificate

• National Career Readiness Certificate

Occupation‐Specific Requirements

Occupation‐Specific Technical 

Occupation‐Specific Knowledge Areas

Industry‐Specific Technical

Industry‐Wide Technical

Workplace Requirements

Academic Requirements

Personal Effectiveness

MilitaryYouth Women Transitioning Adults

Low Income Young Adults

Targeted Outreach 

and Support

Job specific Apprenticeships and  Credentials

Tiers 1‐5 credentials

Job specific Bootcamps

Work Ready 

Bootcamps

• Math• Employability• Learning to Learn• Physical Conditioning

• Math• Employability• Physical Conditioning

• Math• Employability• Learning to Learn• Physical Conditioning

• Math• Employability• Learning to Learn• Physical Conditioning

• Math• Employability• Learning to Learn• Physical Conditioning

• NCRC• Energy Employability / Work Keys• Energy Industry Fundamentals (EIF)

Lineworker Bootcamp

Gas Technician Bootcamp

Utility Technician Accelerated 

Associate Degree or Associate 

Degree

Apprenticeship for College Credit

Apprenticeship for College Credit

Non‐Nuclear Generation Accelerated 

Associate Degree or Associate Degree

Nuclear Bootcamp

Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Degree

Career Pathways

Preparation to enter 

education: Interest to 

Acceptance into program

Education: Enrollment to Completion of credential with Labor Market 

Value 

Preparation to enter  job market: 

Screening to Selection

Career in 

Energy

Student Path to Success

Energy and Education Partnerships

Preparation to enter education: Work Ready Bootcamps - Front Loading for Success

Short Term solutions to build individual needs Prepare and succeed, not fail and

remediate

•Math•Employability•Learning to Learn•Physical Conditioning

Education Tiers 1-5 Credentials – the foundation

NCRC and Energy Employability assess ability to begin training; testing the levels for success through pilots

EIF curriculum now available ANSI accredited certificate available to

approved providers

•National Career Readiness Certificate•Energy Employability / Work Keys•Energy Industry Fundamentals (EIF)

Why an Energy Industry Fundamentals Certificate?

There is no other credential that ensures potential workers have an understanding of the industry as a whole.– This training/credential

helps make occupation-specific training more meaningful, and

– Enables students to understand how individual companies and jobs fit into the big picture.

Education Tiers 6-8 Credentials – Job Specific

Lineworker Bootcamp

Gas Technician Bootcamp

Utility Technician Accelerated 

Associate Degree or Associate 

Degree

Apprenticeship for College Credit

Apprenticeship for College Credit

Non‐Nuclear Generation Accelerated 

Associate Degree or Associate Degree

Nuclear Bootcamp

Nuclear Uniform Curriculum Degree

Lineworker Substation, Relay, Engineering, Alternative Fuel or Meter Technician

Natural Gas, Gas Service or Corrosion Technician

I & C, Mechanical and Electrical Technician, Auxiliary Equipment Operator, Plant Operator

Non-licensed Operators, Mechanical Maintenance, Electrical Maintenance, I&C Maintenance and Radiation Protection Technicians.

Car

eer P

aths

What’s next?

Integration of military credentials Prior learning credit for military training Lineworker and apprenticeship credit

recommendations from ACE Articulation framework for pathways State Energy Career Clusters for

Energy Programs of Study

State Energy Workforce Consortia

Planned Consortium

WA

CA

MN

TX

TN

MS

LA

IN

MO

OH

MINJ

CT

MD

AL

VA

GA

FL

NCSC

PA

KY

OR

CONV

AZ

GIECP Pilot States

IL

NM

KS

ID

Existing Consortium

WY

UT

MT

SD

For more information, contact:

Valerie TaylorEducational Consultanat

Center for Energy Workforce Development701 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.Washington, D.C. 20004-2696valerie@cewd.org

www.cewd.org