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Leadership Foundations for Journey-Level Foremen in the Utility Industry Foreman Skills Profile

This research explores the need for leadership skills in utility foremen, including technical, people, and management skills. It emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, adapting to new technologies, and addressing changes in demographics and labor pool. The study discusses the benefits of energy skill profiles in communicating workplace expectations, verifying critical work functions, and enhancing employability. Skill profiles are defined as detailed summaries of critical work functions, key activities, knowledge, and skills required in the occupation. The research highlights the key role of foremen as catalysts in the industry and their ability to lead and perform simultaneously. It also identifies skill profile building and usage as an effective tool in curriculum development, training, and certifications. The project timeline outlines the steps towards the final report, including recruitment of focus group participants and analysis of the findings.

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Leadership Foundations for Journey-Level Foremen in the Utility Industry Foreman Skills Profile

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  1. Leadership Foundations for Journey-Level Foremen in the Utility Industry Foreman Skills Profile Alan Hardcastle Senior Research Manager April 12, 2018

  2. Underlying Need for Foremen Skill Profiles • Leadership skills are learned/earned: • Technical skills • People skills • Management skills • New technologies • Changes in demographics and labor pool • Continuous learning—training and re-training • Moving skilled journey-level employees into leadership careers • Leadership credibility rooted in craft experience • Human behavior elements critical • Work is highly knowledge-based

  3. Benefits of Energy Skill Profiles • Communicate workplace expectations • Verify critical work functions, activities, qualifications and skills • Increase responsiveness of education, workforce programs, service providers, internal training • Enhance employability and portability of skills • Match programs and curriculum to workplace requirements (Relevance)

  4. Why Foremen? • Key leadership role—a high-value catalyst • Most foremen ‘lead’ and ‘do’ simultaneously • Team-based work requires group cohesion • Adapting to new technologies and processes • Knowledge and skill expectations changing • Common challenge for Utilities • Relevant to other industries, programs and certifications

  5. What are Skill Profiles? • Detailed summaries of the critical work functions, key activities, knowledge and skills required of occupations • Defined through a facilitated, one-day focus group process • Participants are employees in the job, and other subject matter experts from industry • Used by education and industry trainers to identify program gaps, and to develop or improve curriculum, training, certifications and degrees

  6. Background Research Industry Focus Group Draft Skill Profiles Verify Draft or Revise New Programs/Revisions Building and Using Profiles 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

  7. Research to Date • Variety of leadership programs available (NWPPA, WEI, Colleges, etc.) • State, regional and federal resources • Utility partners offer some training; both passive and OJT/mentorships • May be different in every utility • Industry changes- LeadershipCompetitiveness/Performance

  8. Research to Date What we DON’T know or have: • Recent analyses of foundational functions, activities, skill needs for foremen • Employer expectations and sense of urgency • Transferability across sectors

  9. Next Steps Project Timeline: • Agreement on project (April 12) • Recruit 8-10 Focus Group Participants (ASAP) • Focus Group Date (May 8-10) • Analyses and Draft Report (by early June) • Final Report (June 15)

  10. Thank You!

  11. Contact Alan Hardcastle 360-956-2167 Hardcast@wsu.edu

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