Edward Baily

Four years ago, a vice president at Edward’s company, OG&E, gathered a group of employees together to talk about the smart meter.  It became common knowledge that jobs would be lost due to the change, and the VP urged employees to get an education. This meeting set the wheels in motion for him.  He decided to enroll in the online EPCE-sponsored Electric Power Technology (ELPW) program through Bismarck State College.

At times, Edward explained, it was hard to juggle everything without taking time away time from his wife. But he created a schedule that worked:  he woke up at 4:00 a.m. and was able to study for two hours before work. He also hired a local graduate student to tutor him for some classes. “I didn’t want to just pass the class. I wanted to understand what I was learning.”

Because of his education, Edward landed a new position in February 2011. “Technology is changing so fast and rapidly, you need to update your skills and knowledge or you will be left behind.”