Natural Gas Boot Camp
Webinar
October 22, 2013
Introductions
 Ann Randazzo – Executive Director, CEWD
 Dana Berkheimer – Education Consultant,
CEWD
 Laura Legel – Midwest Energy Association
Participants
 Thanks to our pilot companies and
others that have helped during the
process:
– Baltimore Gas & Electric
– Consumers Energy
– DTE Energy
– Pacific Gas & Electric
– Public Service Electric & Gas
3
Natural Gas Boot Camp
 The boot camp was developed through a
partnership between CEWD and MEA and piloted
by 4 member companies.
 It is a 6 to 10 week series of online courses
designed to give individuals a basic knowledge of
the natural gas industry and the type of work that is
expected.
 The program is geared toward the gas distribution
function within a utility.
 The curriculum is available to CEWD/MEA
members.
Roles and Responsibilities
Organization
CEWD
MEA
Responsibilities
• Provide link to online material through the website
• Provide updated instructor guides
• Manage the online system/process
• Provide administrative support to educators
Utilities
• Provide subject matter experts to assist with the
training
• Provide equipment/tools for the hands on
components
• Offer to review resumes and conduct interviews
• Offer jobs to successful graduates
Educators
• Use the material provided through the program
• Manage the processing of students
5
Program Components
 The program consists of:
– Online modules and simulations offered
through MEA
– Power Point presentations of the online
material
– Instructor guides
– Hands on components with
demonstration of ability *
– Knowledge tests
* The hands on components comprise approximately half of the program
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Sample Instructor Guide
Locating Gas Structures
Table of Contents
Overview and Goals................................................................................................................................... 3
Preparation – Facilitation Guidelines ...................................................................................................... 3
Materials ...................................................................................................................................................... 4
Schedule ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
Boot Camp Activities .................................................................................................................................. 7
Activity Worksheet #1-Locate Methods............................................................................................... 7
Activity Worksheet #2-Excavation Requirements ............................................................................. 8
Appendix 1 – Locate Methods-Performance Checklists ...................................................................... 9
7
Sample Activity Sheet
Activity Worksheet #1 - Locate Methods
Task
*Indicate tools and
steps on the
Performance
Checklist
Using the available materials and tools, select three of the following
locating methods and then, enter your findings on the chart (see
Appendix 1).


Electronic markers locating
Measurement locating

Acoustic locating

Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) locating

Inductive locating
o
Walk a grid pattern to sweep during induction locating

Conductive locating

Compare actions taken and results/outcomes during the
Workshop Discussion.
References/Guidelines
including:

Industry sources

Online course
materials

CFR
Indicate, if applicable,
measures that appear
to be a potential
problem and or an
abnormal operating
condition (AOC).
Lessons learned
8
Program Content
 Week 1 – 4 – Energy Industry Fundamentals (optional but
recommended)
 Week 5 – Safety, Principles of Natural Gas and Hand/Power
Tools
 Week 6 – Excavation, Locating Gas Structures, Piping
 Week 7 – Piping, Print Reading
 Week 8 - Cathodic Protection/Corrosion, Valves, Customer
Focus, How to Apply Online for Utility Jobs, Math Remediation
 Week 9 – Resume Writing, Interviewing Skills, Troops to
Energy Jobs Review (for ex-military cohorts)
 Week 10 – Math Boot Camp (optional but recommended)
Week 1 – 4 Courses
 Energy Industry Fundamentals
– Provides a broad understanding of the electric and natural gas
utility industry and the energy generation, transmission, and
distribution infrastructure, commonly called the "largest machine
in the world," which forms the backbone for the industry.
– Includes business models, regulations, types of energy and their
conversion to useable energy such as electric power, how
generated power is transmitted and distributed to the point of
use, emerging technologies, and the connection to careers in the
energy industry.
– Is available in an online version.
– Is available on the CEWD Curriculum site at no charge.
– Students are given an assessment and, if passed, receive an
ANSI certified credential
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Week 5 Courses
 Safety
–
–
–
–
Personal Protection Equipment
Worksite Protection/Traffic Control
Introduction to OSHA Standards
First Aid/CPR/AED (Automatic External Defibrillator)
 Principles of Natural Gas
– Hazards of Natural Gas and Prevention of Accidental
Ignition
– Abnormal Operating Conditions (AOC)
 Hand and Power Tools
– Hand and Power Tool Safety
11
Week 6 Courses
 Excavation/Backfilling
– Damage Prevention during Excavation Activities
by or on behalf of the Operator
– Damage Prevention Inspection during Third Party Excavation of
Encroachment
– Backfilling
 Locating Gas Structures
– Locate Underground Pipelines
– Install and Maintain Pipeline Markers
 Piping
– Cast iron – Caulked Bell and Spigot Joints – Installation and
Maintenance of Mechanical Leak Clamp(s)
– Cast Iron Joints
12
Week 7 Courses
 Piping
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Installation of Steel Pipe in a Ditch
Joining Pipe – Threaded Joints
Installation of Plastic Pipe in a Ditch
Install Tracer Wire with Plastic Pipe
Joining of Plastic Pipe
Joining of Pipe – Compression Couplings
Joining of Plastic Pipe
• Butt-Heat Fusion: Manual
• Butt-Heat Fusion: Hydraulic Machine
• Sidewall Heat Fusion
• Electrofusion
– Tapping a Pipeline (Tap Dia. 2” or less)
 Print Reading
13
Week 8 Courses
 Cathodic Protection/Corrosion
– Visual Inspection for Atmospheric Corrosion
 Valves
–
–
–
–
Manually Opening and Closing Valves
Valve Corrective Maintenance
Valve‐Visual Inspection and Partial Operation
Valve – Preventive Maintenance
 Customer Focus
 Online application process
 Math remediation and testing
14
Week 9 Courses
 Resume Writing
 Interviewing Skills
 Troops to Energy Jobs Review
15
Week 10 Courses
 Math Boot Camp
– 5 days of the boot camp can be held consecutively over a one week
period.
– Day 6 should be a full day of class, and includes spatial reasoning a
refresher of all material, as well as extensive testing in a timed
environment.
– Classes consist of timed Daily Quizzes, Instruction, Practice Problems
and Exercises, and cover competencies included in the Energy
Competency Model for Math, Locating, Reading and Using Information,
and some Job Specific competencies.
– An analysis of the competencies taught in the boot camp shows a direct
relationship to the abilities required in the EEI employment test batteries
used by the industry.
– The math boot camp material is available on the CEWD Curriculum site
16
Schedule
Week
Weeks 1-4
Day
HOURS
Week 5
1
2
5
2
2
3
5
1.5
7
3.25
3.75
2
3
4
5
TOPIC
Energy Industry Fundamentals
Safety online courses
Safety Activities
Safety Activities
Principles of Natural Gas Online Courses
Principles of Natural Gas Activities
Principles of Natural Gas Activities
Hand and Power Tools Online Courses
Hand and Power Tools Activities
Hand and Power Tools Activities
Excavation Online Courses
Week 6
1
2
3
4
5
1
6
7
3
4
4
3
2
4
1
Excavation Online Courses
Excavation Activities
Excavation Activities
Locating Gas Structures Online Courses
Locating Gas Structures Activities
Locating Gas Structures Activities
Cast Iron Piping Online Courses
Cast Iron Piping Activities
Steel Piping Online Courses
Steel Piping Activities
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Schedule
Week
Day
Hours
Week 7
1
4.25
2.75
2
3.5
3.5
3
3.5
3.5
4
7
5
5
1.5
Week 8
1
1
4
2
2
.5
6.5
3
2
1.5
1.5
2
4
5
Topic
Steel Piping Activities
Installing Plastic Piping Online Courses
Installing Plastic Piping Activities
Joining Plastic Piping Online Courses
Joining Plastic Piping Online Courses
Joining Plastic Piping Activities
Joining Plastic Piping Activities
Joining Plastic Piping Activities
Print Reading Presentation and Activity
Cathodic Protection/Corrosion Online Courses
Cathodic Protection/Corrosion Activities
Valves Online Courses
Valves Online Courses
Valves Activities
Valves Activities
Customer Focus Online Course
Customer Focus Activities
Customer Focus Activities
How to go on-line to apply to utility
Math boot camp remediation and testing
Math boot camp remediation and testing
Week 9
Resume Writing, Interviewing
Week 10
Math Boot Camp
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Registration Process
 A link to the MEA course library will be on the
Curriculum section of the CEWD website.
 The training provider must register with MEA as a
Partner in Education (PIE) and pay an annual
$700.00 fee. The fee is valid for a calendar year.
 The PIE must register the students for the course
and pay a $75.00 fee per student at the time of
registration. The student license is valid for a
calendar year and can be re-used.
 MEA will assign the program courses to the PIE
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Registration Process
 The PIE will be responsible for re-assigning the
licenses to new students throughout the year.
 The PIE will be the administrator of the system,
which includes adding new users to the system,
assigning courses, correcting courses/resources,
running reports, resetting test scores, removing
users, etc.
20
Administrator Training
 PIE EnergyU Admin will be required to take
an online course covering basic
administration
 They will receive a free 60 minute training
call with MEA
 Additional free training materials are
available online
 Reasonably priced classroom training
sessions are held periodically throughout
the year.
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For more information, contact:
Ann Randazzo
Executive Director
Center for Energy
Workforce Development
ann@cewd.org
703-237-1094
www.cewd.org