In-house Training
As the electric utility industry continues to evolve and the pressures for improved performance increase, travel budgets are also being trimmed. The American Public Power Association’s Academy is responding to the need for accessible, targeted education by providing affordable in-person and virtual in-house training in a variety of subject areas covered by our utility education courses.
View our In-house Course Catalog.
Complete an In-House inquiry form and email to Academy@PublicPower.org.
Virtual options available!
Instructor-led virtual versions of our most popular training classes let you take in-depth training courses through an series of interactive online sessions (delivered on Zoom). Receive downloadable workbooks, participate in application exercises and engage in group discussions. Contact Academy@PublicPower.org to learn more
Benefits of In-house Training
If it’s difficult for your staff and governing board to attend education courses outside of the office, let us come to you! APPA’s Academy can deliver the training you need, when and where you need it—an ideal option for groups of eight or more. We can bring courses to your facility or deliver the content online.
There are many advantages to holding an Academy in-house training program, including:
- Cost and time savings
Minimize employee out-of-office time and travel expenses.
- Customized training
Choose from our catalog of courses, mix and match agenda items, or tailor course content to meet your utility’s specific goals.
- Expert instructors
Learn from seasoned trainers who have direct experience with public power utilities.
- Continuing education credits
Meet staff’s yearly training goals and certification requirements by earning continuing education units (CEUs), professional development hours (PDHs), continuing professional education credits (CPEs), and points towards the Reliable Public Power Provider (RP3) designation.
- Foster teamwork
Encourage a collegial work environment through a team approach to learning that reaches for common goals and sets organizational direction.
- Staff development and retention
Providing relevant, targeted training shows staff that management cares about their development and helps employees realize their importance within the organization.
Course Choices*
The Academy offers a variety of in-depth education courses, specifically designed to address the unique needs of public power utilities. Choose from the list of standard courses below, mix and match content to fit your needs, or allow us to design a class that addresses the specific goals that are important to your organization.
Accounting
- Public Utility Accounting
- Advanced Public Utility Accounting
- Work Order and Asset Management Accounting
Board Members and Policymakers
- Governance Workshop: Sustaining Public Power’s Value Through Effective Governance
- Strategic Planning for Utility Boards
Cybersecurity
- Fundamentals of Cybersecurity
- Cybersecurity for Management and Boards
- Intermediate Cybersecurity Training for IT/OT Employees
Engineering and Operations
- Distribution Fundamentals and Practices
- Overhead Distribution Systems
- National Electrical Safety Code Overview
- Safety Training and Disaster Planning
- Underground Distribution Systems
Financial Planning
- Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Cost of Service & Retail Rate Design classes
- Strategic Rate Design: Trends and Distributed Generation Impacts
- Distributed Generation: Cost of Service and Rate Design Implications
- Performing a Utility Financial Check-Up
*Custom topics are also available. Allow us to design a course for you!
Certificate Programs
Our certificate programs are designed to develop specialists skilled in key aspects of the utility. Each program consists of a core set of classes and, in some cases, a follow-up skills test and a project component. The Academy offers the following five certificate programs (courses can be held individually or together to complete the program):
Key Accounts Certificate Program
- Electric Utility Industry Overview
- Implementing a Customer-Focused Key Accounts Program
- Developing Your Key Accounts Representative
- The Effective Key Accounts Toolbox
Public Power Manager Certificate Program
- Electric Utility Industry Overview
- Financial Planning, Budgeting and Performance: What Managers Need to Know
- Strategic Leadership for Public Power
- A six-part course on identifying your management style and developing communication and strategy skills
For Associations and Joint Action Agencies
Hosting an in-house course for your members is a great way to provide them with high-quality, discounted training in a convenient location within driving distance. This is especially helpful for small utilities in your region that may have trouble leaving the office, or for members with travel and budget restrictions.
Consider adding one of our courses as a half- or full-day seminar prior to your conferences. We will help you choose a format suited to your requirements and, by providing and tailoring a course to your goals and objectives, we can help ease the stress of developing a conference program.
Fees
APPA charges a discounted, tiered per-person fee for in-house training (the more people you have to train, the more you save). There is a minimum base fee that must be met in order to hold a class, making in-house training cost-effective when you have at least 10+ people to train.
The host organization is also responsible for securing a training room and covering all on-site expenses (i.e., audio-visual equipment, refreshments) for in-person events.
Book a Course
For course descriptions, agendas and to discuss custom pricing, email us at Academy@PublicPower.org.