Supporting PUC Staff Development
Hyleah O’Quinn is Policy Advisor at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. Taylor Fitzgerald is Communications Coordinator at NARUC.
One of the greatest challenges facing the public sector today is recruiting and retaining qualified talent in the workforce. Current issues preventing strong workforce development by public sector organizations include elaborate and lengthy hiring processes and a highly competitive labor market. One major symptom of these issues is difficulty in recruiting a younger generation as more senior employees phase out of employment, losing valuable institutional knowledge that is crucial for maintaining the continuity and efficiency of government operations.
Public Utility Commissions, the entities that work to regulate the services offered by investor-owned utility companies, are impacted by the downward trends we are seeing in workforce recruitment and retention in the public sector. A lack of awareness among potential candidates surrounding the far-reaching and complex work that PUCs conduct also contributes to the workforce challenges of today.
The regulatory initiatives at PUCs across the U.S. are essential for supporting access to safe, reliable, and affordable utility service. Public awareness of PUCs and their direct role in the livelihood of communities everywhere in America is imperative for the continued development of these agencies, especially to ensure a balanced and sustainable workforce for the future.