Medium Voltage Installation
The energy utility sector is changing dramatically, as outlined in this article – and these changes bring a number of unexpected consequences. One of the most notable issues has been caused by the retirement of a whole generation, commonly referred to as ‘baby boomers’ – leaving a significant knowledge gap in the industry.
This is a global phenomenon that affects all industries and all levels. – With experienced professionals from the baby boomer generation retiring at a rate of 10,000 per day worldwide across all sectors in 2016 – as calculated by EDA in a recent benchmark report, Trends in Executive Development 2016.
The impact has only continued to grow, forcing all industries to make a concerted effort to provide the necessary training and knowledge transfer, to create new generations of experts.
TE Connectivity (TE) is acutely aware of this situation and how it impacts the industry. Seasoned professionals are retiring all the time, and their unique experience is also going with them.
source: heavyequipmentguide.ca
Around the time that they would have been apprentices was the last major change in the medium voltage network, where the polymeric cable was used for the first time. They have first-hand knowledge of the resulting shifts in cable accessories technology.
This includes difficulties linking the polymeric cable to the older paper and oil cables – which are still being used in networks today – as well as experience of the first introduction of heat shrink kits, which revolutionized the joining of medium voltage cables.
These experts are rapidly replaced by younger and less-experienced individuals – people who, through no fault of their own, simply lack the experience and the qualifications that they need in order to replace the outgoing experts effectively.
source: haeelectric.com
Many utility companies are also changing their approach altogether, with more outsourcing and less focus on structured training mechanisms that were present in the apprenticeship system.
Additionally, the different roles within the energy sector are changing, meaning that all types of utility workers are now expected to have an even wider skillset. New demands, driven from working with new technologies – such as renewable energy, or accompanying customers as they transition from energy consumers to energy producers – are part of the current reality of the sector.
While operations in the industry are evolving, so must the knowledge of engineers and installers. The ‘pinch point’ is on the medium voltage network, due to its layout design – and incidents on these types of networks have the biggest outage impact on consumers, as reported in the document ‘CEER Benchmarking Report 5.2 on the Continuity of Electricity Supply’.
As outlined above, many older technologies like paper cables are still in use, while the number of connections is on the increase. Often these connections are providing power to the network from distributed power generation and battery systems.
This is a global phenomenon that affects all industries and all levels. – With experienced professionals from the baby boomer generation retiring at a rate of 10,000 per day worldwide across all sectors in 2016 – as calculated by EDA in a recent benchmark report, Trends in Executive Development 2016.
The impact has only continued to grow, forcing all industries to make a concerted effort to provide the necessary training and knowledge transfer, to create new generations of experts.
TE Connectivity (TE) is acutely aware of this situation and how it impacts the industry. Seasoned professionals are retiring all the time, and their unique experience is also going with them.
source: heavyequipmentguide.ca
Around the time that they would have been apprentices was the last major change in the medium voltage network, where the polymeric cable was used for the first time. They have first-hand knowledge of the resulting shifts in cable accessories technology.
This includes difficulties linking the polymeric cable to the older paper and oil cables – which are still being used in networks today – as well as experience of the first introduction of heat shrink kits, which revolutionized the joining of medium voltage cables.
These experts are rapidly replaced by younger and less-experienced individuals – people who, through no fault of their own, simply lack the experience and the qualifications that they need in order to replace the outgoing experts effectively.
source: haeelectric.com
Many utility companies are also changing their approach altogether, with more outsourcing and less focus on structured training mechanisms that were present in the apprenticeship system.
Additionally, the different roles within the energy sector are changing, meaning that all types of utility workers are now expected to have an even wider skillset. New demands, driven from working with new technologies – such as renewable energy, or accompanying customers as they transition from energy consumers to energy producers – are part of the current reality of the sector.
While operations in the industry are evolving, so must the knowledge of engineers and installers. The ‘pinch point’ is on the medium voltage network, due to its layout design – and incidents on these types of networks have the biggest outage impact on consumers, as reported in the document ‘CEER Benchmarking Report 5.2 on the Continuity of Electricity Supply’.
As outlined above, many older technologies like paper cables are still in use, while the number of connections is on the increase. Often these connections are providing power to the network from distributed power generation and battery systems.
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