Becoming a bulk electric grid system operator requires certification from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).  While that is a defining threshold, it is only the first step in the development of a system operator.  In order to reliably operate the bulk electric grid or system (BES), certified system operators must maintain this certification with at least 200 Continuing Education hours over a 3-year period, comprising of on the job training, system operations simulations and a substantial amount of applied theory and hands-on instruction.  Unfortunately, the industry has experienced a significant knowledge drain with a large portion of the most experienced retiring or pursuing consulting opportunities.  Given this gap, the industry is attracting and welcoming applicants from industries outside of the typical electric utility talent pool.  This has led to some challenges in the pass rate of this exam and a retooling of the initial training programs.

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