DTE Energy Utilizes MEA’s EnergyU as Part of Boot Camp Training

DTE Energy Boot Camps deliver training that allows prospective employees to understand the nature of the work. The training incorporates in-person demonstrations and online training via MEA’s EnergyU.

Boot camp sponsor utilities partner with a local community college or technical school for the classroom, shop and training areas. They may use instructors or their own technical training staff to deliver a pre-packaged curriculum of training, tests and evaluations related to the operation and maintenance of a natural gas or electric distribution system. The program content comes from online courses developed by Midwest ENERGY Association (MEA) along with many gas and electric utilities.

How does DTE incorporate the EnergyU materials? Why were they selected?

EnergyU’s online courses teach over 200 tasks identified as core knowledge that a skilled line worker or underground worker needs to know. DTE Energy incorporated 32 EnergyU courses in the Natural Gas boot camp, and 25 EnergyU courses in the Combined Distribution boot camp that benefit multiple job roles within the utility company. The EnergyU materials can be used to complement existing apprentice and journeyman training programs, and provide updated, industry-consensus learning at a fraction of the cost of classroom training.

EnergyU courses are accessed online or through a company’s intranet. In addition, course content can be presented in a traditional classroom setting with a laptop and LCD projector for review and discussion. Courses are assigned, delivered and tracked using either MEA’s or a company’s own learning management system. Every course offers a pre- and post-course knowledge test and recordkeeping feature. In addition, most courses have one or more Performance Evaluation Forms designed to use in simulated hands-on training to determine if an individual has the knowledge and skills to perform a particular task. Courses are AICC and SCORM compliant, which easily incorporated on the company’s learning management system.

About MEA

MEA serves the people that deliver electricity and natural gas to homes and business. MEA was founded as a trade association over 100 years ago by distribution utilities, whose vision was to improve safety and efficiency. Today, utilities and contractor companies around the globe benefit from MEA’s industry learning seminars, operations summits, and other events. Members collaborated to develop EnergyU, the world’s premier online training and testing system for the industry.