Case Study: Large WECC Region Utility achieves streamlined onboarding and improved employee retention with HSI instructor-led apprenticeship training

Utility improves onboarding process and employee retention through enhanced apprenticeship program

Large WECC Region Utility was struggling to onboard system operator apprentices quickly enough, facing high turnover and union pushback over inconsistencies in its two-year program. To shorten time-to-competency and refocus internal trainers on utility-specific work, the utility turned the generic and NERC training portion of its apprenticeship over to vendor HSI, adopting HSI’s Instructor-led Training for Apprenticeship.

HSI developed and delivered nine instructor-led classes plus a NERC certification class (in person, then distance learning during the pandemic), training apprentices in staggered cohorts of eight to 10 with four-day courses, textbooks, quizzes and final exams. HSI’s program produced a 100% NERC certification pass rate, reduced union challenges, let the utility’s trainers concentrate on hands-on and simulator work, met goals to streamline training and improve retention, and is now in its 10th cohort.