Updating the Smart Grid Workforce Education and Training Process: An Interdisciplinary Approach

At the moment there is a need to connect long-term sustainability goals with immediate local and urban adaptation measures. Smart grid initiatives in general have become a popular means for cities to modernize their electrical infrastructure, yet have not thus far been connected to sustainability measures. Although the concept of smart grid is ambiguous, it generally refers to using IoT (Internet of Things), data, communications, and new methods and approaches to increase energy efficiency, thereby exuding a complimentary development to sustainability. At the center of this however is the need for smart workforce. Considering the ambiguity behind smart grid, this research seeks to specifically understand the workforce needs for implementing a smart grid initiative in a manner that helps connect to the long-term goals of global sustainable development. This paper uses a case study approach and focuses on the workforce needs of the City of Pittsburgh against its smart grid initiatives. It examines how although smart advances have been in the electrical field, that in order for today's smart grid initiatives to display increased efficiency, the WEAT programs behind smart need to be updated. The findings help to identify critical factors and skills that a smart grid workforce should encompass in order for meaningful sustainability goals to be achieved.