AESP Online Self-Paced Courses are a convenient and affordable way to fit training into busy schedules.
They are especially useful in times such as:
- You (finally!) can carve time out of your schedule to take courses that you need.
- You need further education to earn CEUs and/or PDHs, but are unable to travel and don’t have time for a full course.
- You have new staff that you need to train, but have no time, or a remote workplace situation makes training staff impossible.
The following are our list of online courses. For upcoming LIVE training courses, please click here.
Select courses listed below are eligible for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) as well as Professional Development Hours (PDHs). The specific amounts and requirements will be included in the course descriptions.
Please note, all of our asynchronous (online self-paced) courses have a 90 day access limit per IACET guidelines as well as publisher requirements.
EM&V
Everything You Wanted to Know About Cost Effectiveness
Learning Time: Approximately 2.5 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.2
PDHs: 2
Cost:
$185 Members / 2 Group Member Point / $249 Non-Members
Description:
Cost Benefit Tests have the power to make or break a program. If TRC, SCT, UCT, PCT, RIM, and RVT just look like alphabet soup to you – then this is for you. Suitable for implementers, marketers and business developers, or evaluators who want to get back to basics. This course explains the different tests, the inputs, and how to run the tests. Understand how various inputs affect cost effectiveness. Be prepared to do some math and have a few “aha” moments.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Run simple cost effectiveness analysis for most DSM programs (energy efficiency, demand response, distributed energy resources).
- Interpret results when an offering or program passes some, but not all the tests.
- Explain what revenue requirements mean and how the tests impact it.
Workplace Essentials
Content Marketing
Learning Time: Approximately 3.5 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.3
PDHs: 3
Cost:
$255 Members / 3 Group Member Points / $349 Non-Members
Description:
Content marketing – a strategic marketing technique that involves the creation and distribution of high-quality content to attract and retain a target audience – is increasingly important throughout the energy industry. Compared to traditional advertising, content marketing has the potential to resonate more with customers because it is tailored to their specific needs and interests. This course provides an introduction to content marketing, focusing on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience. It includes energy-specific case studies that show how utilities have improved the performance of their energy efficiency programs and increased customer satisfaction through high performing content marketing initiatives.
This course is aimed at helping those involved in marketing strategy tailor their content to meet the specific needs of potential customers as they travel through the sales funnel, build brand awareness, and establish the brand as a trusted source of expert advice.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Define content marketing, and explain how it relates to social media and SEO
- List the major types of content used in content marketing, and explain the strengths of each
- Explain the purpose and goals of a content marketing plan
- Describe the online marketing funnel, and explain which types of content are appropriate for which stages of the funnel
- Articulate the advantages of audience targeting and audience segmentation
- Explain the role of influencers in content marketing
- Describe the process of channel management, and explain why it is important to furthering your marketing goals
- Articulate the unique importance of video to content marketing campaigns
- Explain the importance of measuring your campaign’s effectiveness, and list the major performance metrics
- Explain the advantages of repurposing content
- Define a content audit, and explain its importance in content marketing.
Advanced Excel
Learning Time: Approximately 3 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.3
PDHs: 3
Cost:
$225 Members / 2 Group Member Points / $299 Non-Members
Description:
While many people have a solid understanding of Excel’s basic tools and functions, learning advanced Excel skills can help you more rapidly clean data, create new analytic solutions, and help you save time overall. This course will teach you the more advanced skills and features available in Excel, including style templates, conditional formatting, data validation, data manipulation, and pivot tables.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Employ built-in cell style templates, or produce a custom one, to streamline the data entry process
- Create a drop-down list to restrict data entry values
- Utilize the Conditional formatting feature to apply formats to a cell or a range of cells based on specific criteria
- Organize worksheet data using the Group Function
- Use the Consolidation Function to combine data from several worksheets into one
- Differentiate between and discern when to use a relative or an absolute reference in a formula
- Change the orientation of an array of data using the Transpose function
- Use the Advanced filter Extract data from a data set based on complex criteria using the Advanced Filter tool
- Analyze data using Pivot Tables
- Calculate data across several worksheets with the same structure using a 3D reference
- Perform partial searches when filtering or analyzing data using wildcard characters.
Design Thinking
Learning Time: Approximately 3 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.3
PDHs: 3
Cost:
Cost:
$225 Members / 2 Group Member Points / $299 Non-Members
Description:
While many people have heard of – or engaged with – elements of design thinking, this course is aimed at providing you a solid overall foundation in design thinking strategy and practice. As leading design consultancy IDEO puts it: “Thinking like a designer can transform the way organizations develop products, services, processes, and strategy. This approach, which is known as design thinking, brings together what is desirable from a human point of view with what is technologically feasible and economically viable. It also allows people who aren’t trained as designers to use creative tools to address a vast range of challenges.”
In energy, regulatory issues, advances in distributed energy resource technologies, and renewable energy growth are all changing the industry, and utilities and others need to understand how customers’ wants and needs both drive and respond to these changes. The tools of Design Thinking were directly created as a response to this challenge – the need to focus on the people you’re designing for to arrive at optimal solutions that meet their needs.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Define design thinking
- Examine the benefits of design thinking
- Explore creative problem-solving strategies
- Explore strategies for encouraging innovative thinking
- Consider the benefits of accessible design
- Identify techniques for generating ideas
- Explore ways to jump-start innovation
- Identify methods for testing ideas
- Examine the elements of product design
- Identify ways to encourage creative thought in the workplace
- Explore the elements of good web design
- Consider the pros and cons of A/B testing.
Tools of Data Analysis
Learning Time: Approximately 5 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.5
PDHs: 5
Cost:
$375 Members / 4 Group Member Points / $499 Non-Members
Description:
Data analysis tools allow users to comb through large amounts of data in order to identify correlations, patterns, relationships, trends, and anomalies that would otherwise be difficult to detect. These tools provide professionals with greater levels of analysis and insight into their business processes, markets, and customers, informing their decision-making. This intermediate-level course describes, evaluates, and analyzes different statistical techniques and their real-world limitations and benefits. It features crossover analysis, break-even analysis, cluster analysis, decision tree analysis as well as an introduction to regression.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Evaluate the usefulness of different statistical techniques and their real-world application
- Describe the various forecasting techniques and the benefits and limitations
- Describe the various types of regression analysis and their real-world application
- Analyze the results of a regression analysis
- Describe common problems with multiple regression
- Describe other statistical techniques and their real-world application
- Explain the advantages and disadvantages of various statistical techniques
- Choose a statistical technique based on a brief case study
Presentation Skills
Effective Presentations
Learning Time: Approximately 5 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.5
PDHs: 5
Cost:
$375 Members / 4 Group Member Points / $499 Non-Members
Description:
In the energy industry, as with most industries, you will frequently need to communicate information both verbally and in writing. Whether this communication is to work colleagues or to outside audiences – for instance, as a keynote speaker at a utility conference or as a guest lecturer for an energy efficiency course at a community college – it is important to master the basics of effective communication. This introductory-level course will help you organize, structure, and create effective presentations that feature slides as a visual aid. Given many organizations use PowerPoint as a way of communicating information, this course also offers advice and guidance on the most effective and persuasive uses of PowerPoint, including best practices on word count, graphics, and structure.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Recognize what makes communication effective
- Understand the elements in the communications process
- Organize your communications and presentations
- Understand PowerPoint graphic rules of thumb
- Create an effective summary slide
- Describe and employ the four steps of purposeful communication in your presentations
- Understand the forecast, present, and echo structure for presentations
- Recognize key visual considerations for PowerPoint slides and presentations
- Understand how to organize and create PowerPoint presentations
- Revise PowerPoint slides to make them more effective
- Understand the success factors for face-to-face presentations.
Effective Public Speaking
Learning Time: Approximately 5 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.5
PDHs: 5
Cost:
$375 Members / 4 Group Member Points / $499 Non-Members
Description:
There are ample opportunities in the energy industry to participate in speaking engagements that can increase visibility, highlight team expertise, and build your organization’s or your own reputation as an industry leader. However, public speaking can be intimidating for many of us. The good news is that it’s a skill set that can be learned. This course is aimed at getting you ready for the next time you want to speak at an energy conference or give a presentation in your organization. By completing this course, which includes examples and case studies from the energy sector, you will develop the skills you’ll need to become an outstanding and confident public speaker. The course covers the seven stages of public speaking including defining the audience and crafting your central message, all the way to writing, practicing, and delivering your presentation or speech.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Describe the seven stages of giving a speech or presentation
- Discuss the elements of establishing your purpose for speaking (Stage One)
- Recognize the need to consider your audience (Stage Two)
- Describe how to develop your central message (Stage Three)
- Explain how to employ evidence in supporting your main points (Stage Four)
- Discuss how to craft your speech (Stage Five)
- Explain how to rehearse for your speech (Stage Six)
- Describe techniques for delivering your speech (Stage Seven)
- Recognize best practices for employing slides in your presentation
- Describe key techniques for dealing with speech anxiety
- Discuss how to handle difficult questions
- Describe effective responses when things go wrong.
Demand Side Management
Energy Basics
Learning Time: Approximately 1-2 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.2
PDHs: 2
Cost:
$150 Members / 2 Group Member Points / $199 Non-Members
Description:
Energy. We use it every day, but why is it important? Who uses it? How is it generated and transmitted to end users? This course will enable DSM program managers to answer these foundational questions.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Define and describe the different types of energy resources
- Demonstrate how these resources are generated, transported, measured, and consumed.
- Describe how the energy industry functions.
Utility Fundamentals
Learning Time: Approximately 1-2 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.2
PDHs: 2
Cost:
$150 Members / 2 Group Member Points / $199 Non-Members
Description:
You may work in the demand-side management industry, but do you know how this industry, or even utilities for that matter, came about? This course helps DSM program managers understand basic industry fundamentals, including its origins and the complex relationship between regulation and operations.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Recall how legislation and regulation have shaped the industry.
- Identify how federal, state, provincial, and local regulation provided North American utilities a framework to standardize their operations
- Identify the regulatory policy tools for increasing adoption of energy efficiency, demand response, and distributed energy resources
- Recognize the impact of regulation on utility operations, as well as the various levels of regulatory oversight.
- Recognize current policy and regulatory trends that are impacting the future of the utility industry.
Utility Business Models
Learning Time: Approximately 1-2 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.2
PDHs: 2
Cost:
$150 Members / 2 Group Member Points / $199 Non-Members
Description:
Much has changed to the traditional utility business model over the past decade. This course is designed to enable DSM program managers to understand how utilities traditionally operate (make money) and how their traditional operations are being disrupted through the advent of new policies and technologies.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Define and describe the traditional utility business model.
- Identify how a utility generates revenue.
- Identify the major changes occurring to traditional generation and transmission that are impacting the utility business model.
- Describe utility customers adoption of new technology is changing the utility business model.
- Explain how improved access to new technology and real-time information is impacting utilities relationship with their customers.
Contract Management
Learning Time: Approximately 1-2 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.2
PDHs: 2
Cost:
$150 Members / 2 Group Member Points / $199 Non-Members
Description:
Contract management matters, especially so for a demand-side management program manager who uses contract vehicles to manage and execute all their work. This course instructs attendees on the best practices in contract, budget, change, and risk management necessary for successful project and program management.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Describe why contracts and contract management matters, and the steps to ensuring contracting success.
- Identify pre-contracting needs and how to prepare for going out to contract.
- Describe the steps and components of the solicitation process.
- Outline how to initiate, setup, and manage a contract successfully post-award.
- Identify best practices in managing vendor and financial risk, and how to enact change management.
- Identify how to initiate and manage change within a contractual relationship.
- Define and describe the project-close out process.
Course 1-4 Bundle
Learning Time: Approximately 6-8 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.8
PDHs: 8
Cost:
$599 Members / 8 Group Member Points / $795 Non-Members
Leadership
Leading & Managing Change
Learning Time: Approximately 4 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.4
PDHs: 4
Cost:
$300 Members / 3 Group Member Points / $399 Non-Members
Description:
Organizations must continuously change to remain current and competitive. Progressive companies in the energy industry and beyond are embarking on a wide range of change initiatives to adapt to current trends and market demands. The role of leaders in the success of these initiatives cannot be overstated. Leading change is a skill in and of itself, and this course is aimed at providing leaders the requisite tools to successfully navigate change in dynamic workplace environments. It includes case studies drawn from real world examples – such as digital transformation in the energy sector – that show common pitfalls as well as key strategies to overcome resistance and lead change at various levels of an organization. This course is based on the work of Harvard Business School Professor D. Quinn Mills.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Discuss organizational change and the forms it can take
- Describe Kotter’s Eight Step Process recommended for implementing change successfully
- Outline Lewin’s model of change and discuss its limitations
- Identify the factors a leader or manager can employ to promote change
- Outline the change initiative planning process
- Explain the role of a leader in communicating change
- Discuss methods to foster participation
- Discuss the underpinnings of resistance to change and how to overcome it
- Discuss other models of change management (ADKAR, GE CAP, Cisco Change Roadmap)
- Match change management models to specific scenarios
- Explain strategic change and mastering a changing environment
Managing People
Learning Time: Approximately 5 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.5
PDHs: 5
Cost:
$375 Members / 4 Group Member Points / $499 Non-Members
Description:
Perhaps the most challenging aspect of management is managing people. A manager must motivate workers and coordinate their activities. And in the increasingly complex work environment we all operate in, organizations are changing, from adopting matrix structures to establishing empowered teams. These developments present managers with new and difficult challenges. In addition, in the energy industry, managers often face challenges of managing a remote or field-based team. Finally, regardless of where you work, whether at a major utility, a small municipal department, or an energy consulting firm, as energy businesses evolve there is a growing need to focus on building and managing a strong workforce culture of performance. This course will explain how the goals, empowerment, and measurement system of management can be employed. It includes case studies drawn from energy management situations, including motivating employees, establishing metrics, and managing conflict.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Describe how managers must handle people—subordinates, peers, superiors, and customers—to achieve goals
- Explain how delegation is a key tool for managing
- Discuss the role of emotional intelligence (EI) in managing
- Understand your own attitudes toward empowering management
- Describe the major organizational structures and the differences between them
- Explain the different factors that motivate workers and how a manager can use them to improve employee performance
- Identify the defining characteristics, benefits, and unique challenges of empowered teams
- Explain how coaching employees is a vital part of managing in any organization
- Discuss the challenges of discipline and how a manager should deal with such situations
Emotional Intelligence for Managers
Learning Time: Approximately 3 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.3
PDHs: 3
Cost:
$225 Members / 2 Group Member Points / $299 Non-Members
Description:
Emotional intelligence (EI) is our ability to identify and control our emotions to achieve positive outcomes in our relationships, and it is often what distinguishes great leaders from good leaders. Leaders in the energy industry with high EI are better equipped to engage subordinates, colleagues, and company executives, and they can do a better job of handling and resolving conflicts. Further, many organizations today, including those in the energy industry, are considering emotional intelligence when hiring, promoting and developing their employees. This course reviews the underlying concepts of emotional intelligence and explores how managers can improve and make use of their emotional intelligence.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Discuss the role of emotional intelligence for managers
- Explain why improving emotional intelligence can have a positive impact on managerial performance
- Recognize the importance of emotional intelligence in successful management
- Discuss the nine key EI factors
- Apply EI factors to business management scenarios
Handling Workplace Conflict
Learning Time: Approximately 3 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.3
PDHs: 3
Cost:
$225 Members / 2 Group Member Points / $299 Non-Members
Description:
This course will explore the many facets of workplace conflict and consider its effects on an organization. It will examine examples of the types of conflicts that typically arise in organizations and will help you identify conflict behaviors. It will provide you tips on how to handle dangerous conflict and will explore strategies for diffusing tension and restoring a positive workplace environment. The course includes video commentary from experts in Organizational Behavior and presents several real-world scenarios, including in the energy industry, to help you practice and apply the skills and strategies discussed throughout the course.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Identify the different types of conflict in the workplace
- Describe some of the major causes of workplace conflict
- Discuss the Thomas-Kilman model of conflict
- Consider your personal conflict style and compare it to other styles
- Identify various conflict behaviors in the workplace
- Explore conflict resolution strategies
- Discuss best practices for handling difficult employees
- Describe what constitutes dangerous conflict and consider methods for handling risky situations.
Managing Remote Employees
Learning Time: Approximately 3 hours ONLINE.
Access Expiration: 90 days after being assigned to the course.
CEUs: 0.3
PDHs: 3
Cost:
Cost:
$225 Members / 2 Group Member Points / $299 Non-Members
Description:
In the COVID-19 environment, most managers have gained at least some experience managing remote employees. But many have had to do so via “gut instinct” without a framework to guide their actions and decisions. This course is an opportunity to “step back” and reassess your online management style, review best practices, and consider new ways to augment your current approach to remote management. As you know, there can be many advantages to remote work for both the company and the individual, but managers must be aware of the challenges that can arise when employing remote workers. While much of the energy workforce has historically been field-based, this course takes a deeper look at the benefits and drawbacks of remote work for those positions which were traditionally office-based and provides managers with tips and multi-industry case studies for helping their remote workers stay connected and motivated.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- Identify the reasons why people choose to work remotely
- Examine current attitudes toward remote work
- Consider some of the myths surrounding remote work
- List the benefits and drawbacks of remote work arrangements
- Assess whether their company is well-suited for remote work arrangements
- Identify the top challenges when it comes to leading remote employees
- Discuss best practices for hiring and onboarding remote employees
- Explore ways to develop remote workers
- Consider how to effectively communicate with remote employees
- Develop strategies for providing feedback to remote workers
- Identify ways to motivate and connect with remote employees.
The Accidental Salesperson by Selling Energy
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Cancellation Policy
Cancellation requests received no later than 24 hours after purchasing will receive a refund, minus a 5% processing fee if paid with a credit card.
About CEUs
Learners must achieve an average test score of at least 70% to meet the minimum successful completion requirement and qualify to receive IACET CEUs. Learners will have three attempts at all graded assessments. Courses must be completed within the 90 day access limit, if they are not completed within 90 days AESP will not be permitted to issue CEUs per IACET standards.
AESP is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). AESP complies with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognized internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices. As a result of this accreditation, AESP is authorized to issue the IACET CEU. AESP instructors disclose in advance that they have no interest in any product, service, or material discussed during the course. This information is stated orally and in the training course handbook.
