“This is an exciting program that benefits the utilities, Southern and Gateway, as well as the students. The utilities gain a pool of qualified candidates to assume management and technical positions; Southern and Gateway have a new curriculum that meets the needs of local utilities; and the students gain new career opportunities.”
-- Larry Bingaman, President and CEO, Regional Water Authority
The nature of public utility operations is rapidly changing in the New England region as the industry faces the common challenges of an aging workforce, looming retirements, aging infrastructure, additional regulations, and heightened financial burdens. Connecticut’s utility companies are seeking skilled managerial and technical workers. Utilities provide approximately 10 percent of all job opportunities in our state.
At Southern Connecticut State University and Gateway Community College, we have created a unique pathway for students to receive the education necessary to all projected managerial and technological job openings at Connecticut’s utility companies. Southern and Gateway prepare students for these types of challenging positions through real-world Public Utilities Management Degree programs – developed in close consultation with many of the state’s utilities including the Regional Water Authority, Eversource, Avangrid, Connecticut Water, and Aquarion.
Career Growth
An associate degree from Gateway or a bachelor’s degree from Southern combines technical and managerial skills with general studies that can lead to average utility salaries ranging between $55,000 and $75,000, depending on an applicant’s level of experience and educational background. This can also lead to advancement in the in-demand, high-paying utilities industry. Credits are transferable to a bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering, technology, business administration or related field.
Gateway offers a certificate and an associate degree in public utilities management. Southern provides a specialization in public utilities management within its Bachelor of Science degree program in business administration – a program that is the first of its kind in the country.
Specialized and Innovative Classes
- Financial Accounting
- Public Utilities Management
- Environmental Regulations
- Asset and Infrastructure Management
- Rates and Revenues
- Green Energy/Environmental Sustainability
- Business Communication, Ethics and Law
- Crisis/Risk Management
- Customer Relations
Did You Know?
- A large percentage of utility workers are within years of retirement: 38.9 percent of current utility employees will be eligible to retire within the next five years. (PricewaterhouseCoopers study)
- Increasing automation and technology require that replacement hires be more technically competent.
- The pool of professional, competent workers is shallow, making it difficult to find replacements.
- Retirement of senior personnel is likely to result in the loss of valuable institutional knowledge.
PUM In the News
Contact
Greg Robbins
Chair & Associate Professor
Management / IB
(203) 392-5865
robbinsg2@southernct.edu