The utilities and energy job markets are facing many challenges due to the rapid increase of new technology and a transitioning workforce. It’s imperative that employers find ways for managing millennials who are currently entering the utility and energy industry. A solution to this includes training using modern learning management platforms and on-demand learning content.
Trends and Changes in the Utility and Energy Job Markets
It’s expected that utilities and energy will lose at least half of their seasoned workforce in the coming five years. This means many worker skills will be lost, while other unknown skills will need to be learned. At the same time, the U.S. Energy and Employment Report shows that job growth is projected to be healthy in these sectors. Based on 2018 data, the efficiency sectors employed approximately 6.7 million Americans or 4.6 percent of the total workforce. This increases demand for a skilled labor force to remain competitive in the markets.
Millennials officially make up the largest portion of the adult workforce now. Managing millennials will include ongoing training and career development. Fortunately, there are many options for scaling the training of the next generation of the workforce, including on-demand learning delivered in a convenient, job-relevant format.
Why Training is Critical for Millennials Entering the Utility and Energy Industry
The energy and utility markets will continue to encounter new and emerging technologies that will require skilled workers. In some cases, these skills have not even been determined because of the formation of never-before-seen jobs. At the same time,
legal reform will push for more focus on renewable energy sources across all industries. It is expected that America’s dependency on fossil fuels will lessen as more electrical, solar, and wind powered utilities will continue to increase.
Companies need to remain competitive as the utilities and energy industry is in flux. Those employers managing millennials effectively recognize that they create sustainability by investing in learning. They are keenly aware of the need for more accessible, consistent, and current training on job specific skills. Without this, their workforces will be inadequate and unable to provide quality care. Best in class training also helps to reduce liability and injury and improve service capabilities and customer care. It’s a win-win scenario.
Traditional Training Fails to Keep up with the Energy and Utilities Market
Older styles of training cannot meet the needs of rapidly growing utilities and energy markets. This is an area that is becoming more challenging every day. There are several reasons why traditional employee training misses the mark. For one, classroom training is time consuming and expensive to manage. It can also be costly bringing in employees and hiring trainers who have current skills. Traditional training does not support managing millennials because it is difficult to train a global workforce with on-site training methods.
Oftentimes, there can be negative views of mandatory training in classroom setting for the above reasons. It takes workers off the job, reducing productivity. This can easily be replaced with more enjoyable online training. The preferred format of training by Millennials is on-demand, online delivery of learning content. This is due to their comfort with mobile technology and information at their fingertips. Being able to learn something new and then put it to use immediately on the job is the incentive. As the energy and utility industry rapidly changes, traditional training cannot adapt. Modern methods of training a new generation of employees can.
How Cloud-based Training Helps Manage Millennials in the Utility and Energy Industry
Your organizational leaders may be wondering how online learning can benefit the company. First, it enables faster hiring to onboarding of Millennials due to HRIS integration. This makes for a seamless experience for employees, which helps with managing millennials. Second, immediate access to modern training gives Millennials the tools to increase productivity sooner.
Interestingly, a recent LinkedIn survey indicated that learning is a top incentive for Millennials, even more so than pay and other benefits. This can increase employee retention and loyalty. Cloud-based learning enables Millennials to access content from anywhere, anytime, which is perfect for merging companies, those who work in the field, and those who are heading for global careers. Lastly, cloud-based customized learning content addresses on-the-job tasks to increase efficiency. This ensures employees are trained on what they need to know to do their jobs safely.
Creating a Learning Culture is Facilitated by Digital Learning Methods
In order to overcome the challenges of the energy and utility markets, organizations can turn to digital learning platforms that provide many advantages. This can help any company to remain competitive with a well-trained workforce. Online learning management software allows administrators to quickly issue training modules to the workforce. They can also monitor progress which is part of managing millennials as they participate in training. This is advantageous because the company can provide proof that it has trained it’s workers in best-in-class procedures.
In the energy markets, it’s common for companies to acquire other service providers, which means employees may have been trained differently. The modern LMS anticipates mergers and new service locations, and these actions are supported by simplified training that can be sent out in a moment’s notice. Learning administrators can manage multiple organizations under one business entity at different locations and across states. Branding capabilities help to bring people together. At the same time, budgetary concerns are addressed with analytics and data to ensure management is supporting employee training initiatives.
It is expected that there will be many challenges in the energy and utilities markets over the next decade. However, one thing that can give your organization the edge is a sustainable employee training plan that helps you manage millennials.
If you would like to learn more about how to engage and train your employees with efficiency that increases your compliance training completion rates, makes employees more productive, and increases stakeholder value, feel free to reach out and schedule a 1-on-1 strategy session today!
