TVPPA R&D Committee Explores New Strategies for Hiring Challenges

TACKLES YOUR POWER DISTRIBUTION ENGINEER HIRING CHALLENGES

Power distribution engineers in the Tennessee Valley feel burned out.

That’s just one takeaway from phase one of a research project commissioned by TVPPA’s Research & Development (R&D) Committee to better understand the challenges faced by and opportunities to assist engineers. Executed by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) in partnership with TVPPA and TVA, the project examined the role, responsibilities and skills (RRS) of distribution engineers in the Valley. The project was prompted by feedback from a distribution engineer at a Valley local power company (LPC), shared with both TVPPA and TVA, who stated that he felt “overloaded with work.”

The research aimed to get a deeper understanding of the distribution engineers working with LPCs across the Tennessee Valley, and what their experiences are like. By conducting surveys and interviews with 13 LPCs — made up of 46 percent municipal utilities and 54 percent cooperatives — the study gathered insights from engineers of all ages and experience levels. These engineers, who come from a variety of educational backgrounds, shared details about their day-to-day tasks, the challenges they face, and the tools and technologies they rely on. The goal was to paint a clear picture of the vital role these engineers play and the skills and support they need to succeed in an evolving energy landscape.

A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis conducted as part of the survey revealed that the role of distribution engineer is still a rewarding position for those who choose this career. Many in the position enjoy the diversity of daily tasks. They believe there are growth opportunities for themselves and others in the role. But several weaknesses were revealed as well, indicating the Valley’s distribution engineers feel overloaded with work and overwhelmed by the demands of keeping up with ever-changing customer needs and the onslaught of new technologies in the industry. Many of the engineers surveyed felt they lacked a backstop to help when workloads increase, and many believed there is not enough succession planning in their organizations.

The threats identified included burnout, a loss of organizational knowledge when workers leave, the risk of losing engineers to other opportunities or industries, and the long lead time to hire and onboard new engineers. However, the process identified some opportunities as well, including the chance to redefine what the role of a distribution engineer looks like and how they can better apply new technologies. Valley LPCs also have an opportunity to develop new partnerships with area schools, including universities and technical training programs, to build an engaged and dynamic workforce. Additionally, the survey highlighted opportunities for technology itself to help solve challenges faced by engineers through automation and integration to improve operational efficiencies.

Armed with detailed feedback, the R&D Committee formed a subcommittee to dig deeper into this issue with their partners, a primary goal being to help LPCs develop new staffing frameworks that streamline the recruitment, hiring and onboarding processes. Members of the workgroup include:

• Mary McDuffa – City of Florence Utilities

• Angela Verdell – Columbus Light & Water

• Philip Lim – MTE

• Jeremy Walden – Lenoir City Utilities Board

• Justin McCann – West Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation

• Hameen Harris – Jackson Energy Authority

• Mark Iverson – Bowling Green Municipal Utilities

• Joe McCarter – Appalachian Electric Cooperative (retired)

• Shawn Edmondson – Natchez Trace Electric Power Association

LK Browning and Jared Green, both of EPRI, worked alongside TVPPA’s R&D Committee members on this workgroup. “One of the biggest challenges we have identified,” said Lim, MTE Strategic Execution and Analytics Administrator, “is that we simply do not have enough power system engineers entering the profession or our industry. That shortage of engineers is being compounded by the fact that many engineering schools are no longer offering power system curricula.”

That shortage, combined with the increase in workload brought about by new technology adoption and the increased pressure of the Valley’s evolving energy landscape, means that more than ever, distribution engineers feel overwhelmed. Of those surveyed, 59 percent of the total participants (63 percent of municipals and 56 percent of cooperative participants) answered that they were overloaded with work. And much of that sense of overload comes from learning and integrating new technologies, with 94 percent of respondents saying new technologies impacted their workload — 18 percent saying there was a “significant” impact and 76 percent responding that there is “somewhat” of an impact. “Even though technologies improved productivity, the new technologies are still additional things to do above and beyond an already full workload. And over time, the weaknesses identified through our SWOT analysis will worsen due to the additional tasks being asked of distribution engineers mainly driven from technology adoption,” said EPRI’s Browning.

Lim pointed out that the electric utility industry has traditionally been resistant to change, so the rapid adoption of technology many LPCs are undergoing now has been something of a shock to the system. “Our industry has been slow to evolve, and engineers have had to learn how to retool themselves to adapt to new technologies. One example is the introduction of EV fast charging. At MTE, we received a grant to install them in our community, and our engineering team had to get up to speed almost overnight. Four years ago, I knew nothing about DC fast chargers, and while I’m no expert, now I know what questions to ask.”

Harris, Vice President of Engineering at Jackson Energy Authority, agreed with Lim and Browning that the impact of introducing new technologies can overwhelm engineers. “Projects like AMI and DER deployment can increase the workload enough to require employees dedicated to just those tasks. Not to mention the time required to adequately understand and utilize such systems. This can be overwhelming for understaffed organizations and [overworked] engineers trying to launch or support new technology,” Harris said.

One of the biggest concerns raised by these findings is the risk of overworked engineers leaving local utilities for other opportunities. This, combined with the lengthy hiring process for distribution engineers, could make the workload even heavier for those who stay, especially when teams are in transition. There’s also the challenge of retaining valuable knowledge as experienced technicians retire. These changes highlight the importance of having a solid succession plan in place to ensure engineering teams at LPCs stay strong and prepared for the future.

Making Change

The R&D subcommittee and EPRI have identified some strategies that LPCs can utilize to both minimize engineer overload and build a stronger engineering workforce to meet the continued onslaught of work necessitated by the growing energy needs of the Tennessee Valley.

First, suggested Harris, LPCs should look for technical tasks that can be performed by others on staff. “Jackson Energy Authority uses project coordinators to do small jobs such as services, meter spots or small extensions required for new customers. Project coordinators are usually hired from within the organization and have some understanding of at least one of JEA’s utilities. Being successful at this job requires a basic knowledge of utilities, construction units and a good attitude to work with customers.”

MTE’s Lim also sees opportunities to redefine the role of distribution engineer and offload tasks to other employees or to even hire different types of engineers to take on specific roles. “For example,” he said, “a communications engineer might be better suited to manage AMI. A computer engineer might be able to operate your control room and manage outage system or SCADA. They don’t need to understand the power system, but they need to understand how our systems communicate. To install solar or EV charging stations, you need someone with an electrical background.”

Citing the challenges Valley LPCs and TVA face including load growth, grid modernization and electrification, Joseph Johnson, TVA’s Manager of Distribution R&D and liaison to the R&D Committee, said, “We have been working together through the Regional Grid Transformation and Valley Vision initiatives to identify and unlock all pathways to maintain the energy security of the service we provide during this transformational period. None of these can be met within expectation without the foundation of a proper workforce.”

Ultimately, maintaining the stability of that foundation and solving this challenge will require bringing more distribution engineers into the fold. Harris, Lim and Browning all see a clear path to that end. “Pre-work training could be offered by technical colleges or universities via associate engineering degrees focused on the power industry. Additionally, TVA, TVPPA and/or the LPC could partner with universities for focused training of the next-generation workforce,” said Browning.

Lim harkened back to the co-op programs that sparked his interest in working with Memphis Light, Gas and Water, where he began his engineering career. “We must become more intentional about how we approach our workforce challenges,” he said. “We have to find schools with power system engineering programs and engage with them to find interns. LPCs need to create co-op programs and hire graduates of the schools we partner with. It has to be intentional.”

Beyond formal co-op programs, Lim also suggested that LPCs engage in mentorships where college engineering interns are paired with senior engineers to provide mentorship and coaching on problem-solving.

Harris agreed that partnerships with universities and technical schools that can help pair students looking for employment with summer work, co-op programs and full-time jobs provide a great way to keep the pipeline of engineering talent flowing. But he also believed there’s an opportunity for LPCs to spark interest in their companies even earlier. “Partnering with elementary and high schools and having engineers talk to kids about their work and its importance to the community is helpful in creating excitement about the career and building future engineers.”

He did point out that co-op programs are a smart way to reduce both the risk and the cost associated with the new hire process. With a co-op program, Harris noted, “You can find those engineers [who] will work well in the utility industry. Co-op programs start the training and interview process and minimize the risk and financial commitment of hiring a full-time employee.”

Lim pointed out that he has seen organizations that have reduced costs by using spring/fall semester co-ops in a job share, having one student work each semester, to fill a full-time role.

However, they choose to approach the issue of hiring distribution engineers, Lim returned to the belief that it must be done with intention. “LPCs across the Valley need to make succession planning a core part of our strategy,” he said. “If you’re waiting to start recruiting until you have an open position, you’re too late. This is another reason to have a co-op, intern or mentorship program so you’ll have an existing pipeline when you have an opening.”

To learn more about the findings from the EPRI/TVPPA’s R&D Committee research project, you can read the full white paper titled “Exploring the Role of Distribution Engineers Across the Tennessee Valley” on the R&D page of the members-only section of TVPPA.com.