When Lauren Davis discusses electric cooperative jobs, she admits that few consider a role similar to hers in human resources or the job that began her evolving co-op career.
Davis, the human resources manager for Wabash Valley Power Alliance, began her WVPA career in economic development. Her positions are an example of the wide breadth of roles available with electric distribution and generation and transmission cooperatives. When Davis discusses jobs at career fairs, people are more aware of certain roles, such as lineworkers, member service roles, and operations, because they interact more with the public, Davis said.
“There are so many more roles that make things happen in the co-ops, and I think those are changing as technology evolves,” Davis said. “I think that roles in technology are becoming so much more needed, and I foresee that continuing to grow.”
Electric cooperatives across the United States offer jobs in fields such as technology, engineering, marketing, government relations, and safety oversight. Davis said that many people interested in these fields do not consider searching for electric co-ops when exploring openings.
Pathways to new roles even exist within electric co-ops themselves. Lora Kelley, the enterprise content manager at WVPA, spent 20 of her 40 years with the organization in technology management roles. She joined Wabash Valley Power in 1984 as an accounting clerk — before any employees had desktops.
Her career transitioned to information technology positions, including database administrator, as her interests grew and WVPA invested in new technologies.
“The co-op world is very strong at promoting from within and retaining people’s knowledge,” said Kelley, who celebrated four decades with WVPA in September. “Even if someone went to a different co-op, we still reach out and share information. It’s a nice family-like network with collaboration.”
Davis had a background in workforce development before joining WVPA’s economic development team. A few years later, a human resources position opened, providing Davis with a chance to grow in a very different area that piqued her interest.
“When I talk to candidates, I say that is the beauty of the co-op world,” Davis said. “Many people started in one position and grew throughout their career before transitioning to a role completely different from where they started.”
People interested in electric cooperative jobs in Indiana can visit WePowerIndiana.org. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association features a job board for positions available at electric co-ops nationwide, which can be found at careers.electric.coop.
