The APPA Academy is public power's complete resource for professional education and certification. Through a variety of delivery methods - live, in-depth education courses, in-house training programs, conference, webinars, list servers, online courses and work force development partnerships - the APPA Academy helps electric utility employees stay abreast of rapidly moving industry technologies and regulatory requirements while providing an opportunity for them to meet their yearly training goals and certification requirements in formats and price ranges that suit their needs. In additional to providing utility employees with the knowledge they need to perform their jobs at the highest level APPA Academy offerings meet the criteria for providing:
- CEcd Hours - needed by Certified Economic Developers to maintain certification
- Continuing Education Units (CEUs) - required by many professions to maintain certification
- Continuing Legal Education credits (CLEs) - needed by lawyers to practice law within a particular jurisdiction
- Continuing Professional Education credits (CPEs) - required by CPAs to maintain licensure
- HCRI hours - required by Human Resources professionals to maintain certification
- Professional Development Hours (PDHs) - needed by engineers to maintain licensure
Conferences
Each year, the APPA Academy sponsors seven major conferences, each designed specifically to meet the needs of public power employees in a given sector of the utility.
- Business & Financial Conference
For utility professionals in accounting and finance, customer accounting and services, human resources and training, information technology and pricing and market analysis
- Customer Connections Conference
For public power professionals in customer service, energy services, key accounts, marketing, communications and public relations
- Economic Development Conference
For utility, city and regional economic development and marketing specialists, as well as city managers, locally elected officials and utility board members
- Engineering & Operations Technical Conference
For professionals in transmission and distribution, environmental policy, generation, safety, SCADA, metering, security and system planning
- Legal Seminar
For attorneys representing municipal electric utilities, as well as senior and middle utility managers and elected and appointed officials who oversee utility policy
- Legislative Rally
For public power executives, policy experts and locally elected and appointed officials
- National Conference & Public Power Expo
For general managers, senior utility executives, mayors, city council members, elected and appointed utility board members, and industry suppliers
Educations Courses & Workshops
Though education institutes, stand-alone courses, and pre-conference seminars, the APPA Academy provides in-depth, interactive training for public power professionals in a wide range of disciplines. APPA Academy instructors work with hundreds of public power utilities each year and adapt their content and teaching styles to the evolving needs of the electric utility industry.
- Education Institutes
Focus on a single topic or spend the week in multiple classes for more comprehensive training
- Pre-Conference Seminars
Full- and half-day courses offered before each of the APPA Academy's conferences. Information on pre-conference seminars can be found on specific conference web pages
- Workshops & Stand-Alone Courses
Intensive training on industry "hot-topics" like smart grid, energy efficiency and executive leadership
Webinar Series
Top-notch instructors and APPA members cover the latest industry issues in a format that's both convenient and affordable. A phone and a computer with Internet access are all that's needed for everyone at the utility to participate, for one low price.
In-House Training
Just as industry pressures for improved performance increase, travel budgets are being trimmed. If it's difficult for your staff and governing board to attend education courses out of town, invite the APPA Academy to come to you. The APPA Academy can bring any existing course, or a new program that fits your unique needs, to your premises or a nearby conference center. To discuss an in-house training option for your organization, please contact the APPA Academy staff.
Certificate Programs
For individuals who want to take their education and training experiences to the next level, the APPA Academy offers the following certificate programs:
Online Training
The APPA Academy offers a number of ways for public power professionals to learn from the comfort and ease of their office or home:
Work Force Development Partnerships
Through partnerships with joint action agencies, state and regional associations, and other industry groups, APPA is focusing on ways to recruit and retain public power employees through such efforts as:
Questions about the APPA Academy?
Please contact Ursula Schryver, Director, Education & Customer Programs, 202/467-2980 or Heidi Lambert, Manager, Education, 202/467-2921.
