This utility has a company-supported program that provides qualified customers with energy-saving improvements at no charge. Implementors work with contracting agencies to hire consultants who go into customer homes to assess energy efficiency. The utility provides instructor-led and web-based training at no cost to the public and contractors, engineers, lighting technicians, and other energy efficiency trade professionals learning new skills in the state’s energy efficiency sector.
Due to high contractor turnover within the program, low engagement during training, and socioeconomic barriers to attending training in person, the utility decided to convert courses from in-person training to an enhanced virtual format. The COVID pandemic accelerated the need to transition in-person courses to virtual webinars for a predominantly English as a Second Language (ESL) audience with limited digital literacy, limited computer and broadband access, and childcare constraints.
Mosaic created a virtual learning program and toolkit that kept cultural and logistical challenges front of mind. The goal was to shift from an instructor-led, in-person format to a creative blended-learning approach and provide the necessary tools and resources to support successful outcomes.
In less than two months, Mosaic reviewed five existing ILT courses, updated the content to increase engagement and promote participation, and then converted the training to a virtual instructor-led format. Components included student handbooks, prep videos and checklists for both students and instructors, and self-paced web-based training (WBT) that described the end-to-end program for required onboarding.
The utility surveyed implementers, contractors, and students about the enhanced training program, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. The virtual format increased engagement and resulted in a more accessible, cost-effective, and streamlined training experience.