ISPC Tailboard Talks

Community Colleges, Supporting the Utility Industry

In episode 06, hosts Mark Forster and Jerry Havens are back to discuss the topic of how community colleges support electric utilities. In the ISPC Tailboard Talks segment, they discuss how to prevent ticks and other insects from getting on you, and what to do if they do. They are then joined by special guest Matthew Teeters, Operations Manager for Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO), where they learn about Matthews’ career journey to becoming a utility manager, as well as continuing the discussion on how community colleges support the utility industry.
[0:00] Introduction
[1:16] Sponsor Message: Bierer Meters
[2:20] Tailboard Talk: Tick Prevention
[9:14] Special Guest: Matthew Teeters, UPPCO
[21:20] Sponsor Message: Bierer Meters
[23:58] Special Guest: Matthew Teeters, UPPCO (continued)
[42:18 ] Sponsor Message: Bierer Meters
[43:32] Conclusion

Becoming a Leader

In episode 05, hosts Mark Forster and Jerry Havens are back to discuss the topic of becoming a leader. They highlight the process of a leader’s responsibility in regard to holding job briefings. Then they discuss leaders setting expectations for good quality job briefings, visiting or auditing the job briefings, and providing feedback about the quality of the job briefings to their team so corrections can be made. Special guest Curtis Bradley (VP of Safety for the Desoto Group, author of “Selected to Lead. A Foreman’s Field Guide to Success,” and trainer) discusses his journey to become a leader from a very modest beginning and some of the challenges he had to overcome in his journey.
This episode is sponsored by Bierer Meters. Together we are changing our Electric Culture of Safety.
[0:00] Introduction
[1:28] Sponsor Message
[2:34] Tailboard Talk: Job Briefings
[10:36] Sponsor Message
[11:48] Special Guest: Curtis Bradley, DeSoto Group
[46:58] Conclusion

Safety 101

In episode 04, hosts Mark Forster and Jerry Havens are back to discuss the importance of hydration. They highlight some steps to take to avoid dehydration, and they go over warning signs, helpful statistics, and the effects dehydration can have on cognitive function.
Special guest Mike Starner, Executive Director for Outside Line Services for NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association) tells Mark and Jerry a little about himself and his journey to where he is in his career and the industry today.  The rest of their conversation covers all things safety.
This episode is sponsored by Bierer Meters.
[0:00] Introduction
[2:44] Tailboard Talk: Hydration and Dehydration
[12:04] Sponsor Message
[13:19] Special Guest: Mike Starner, NECA
[49:28] Sponsor Message
[50:28] Conclusion

Industry Leaders, Training Insights

In Episode 03, we sit down at the 2024 T&D Trainers Conference in San Antonio, Texas with some of the industry’s best to discuss consistency in training, training a distributed workforce, and keeping training up-to-date with the changing needs of how apprentices learn.  Hear what issues other companies are dealing with, what they are doing to close the gaps, and some insights on how to improve your training programs.
[0:00] Introduction from the T&D Trainers Conference
[3:27] Training for Competency
[13:07] Moving from the Classroom to the Field
[19:53] Training a Distributed Workforce
[26:25] Sponsor Message
[27:30] Improving Training Consistency
[34:07] Changing Training for a Changing Workforce
[37:15] Conclusion

The Framework

In Episode 2 of the ISPC Tailboard Talks podcast, we discuss some of the highlights with both ISPC and T&D PowerSkills since the last podcast. We touch on the upcoming Trainers Conference and Tradeshow and how, even though it is sold out, there is still the ability to attend virtually. We talk about a LinkedIn post last week where the US DOL announced 12 million dollars of funding for not-or-profit organizations who provide occupational skills training, support participation in Registered Apprenticeship programs, or other on-the-job training, and supply employment placement assistance for veterans – all part of the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program. We discussed this episode’s ISPC Tailboard Talk topic, “The Framework” around Job Briefings. We then dove into a great conversation with our Founder/Owner Ron Schenk and had a great conversation about our three companies and everything in between.
Introduction
Introduction to the ISPC Team
What’s New at ISPC
What’s New at T&D PowerSkills
Occupational Skills Training for Veterans
Tailboard Topic: The Framework
Sponsor: T&D PowerSkills
Special Guest: Ronald Schenk
Conclusion

Past, Present, and Future

In episode 1 of the ISPC Tailboard Talks podcast, we discuss who the host and co-host are and a little about their backgrounds. We talk about ISPC and T&D PowerSkills and what each company does. We discuss what ISPC Tailboard Talks will be about moving forward. We talk about our sponsor of the podcast. We discuss the upcoming Trainers Conference in San Antonio, Texas, and some of the speakers and benefits of attending the conference. We go over the benefits of becoming an ISPC member. We talk about audience participation and what that looks like, as well as what’s coming up in future episodes. Lastly, we thank our sponsor of the podcast and close out the podcast.