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Elevating Education

The Utility Expo offers on-floor and field classrooms

Elevating Education

The Utility Expo is offering enhanced educational offerings for 2025. North America’s largest trade show for utility professionals and construction contractors will be held Oct. 7–9, 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Under the banner – Learning in Motion – The Utility Expo will feature hands-on educational opportunities for attendees designed to deliver high impact learning directly on the show floor and in field classrooms. The field classroom sessions are designed as walking tours. Led by industry experts, these sessions blend real-world demonstrations with expert instruction.

“At The Utility Expo, we meet professionals where they are, on the job and in the field,” said Brianne Somers, show director. “The field classroom sessions are a direct response to the evolving needs of our workforce. They’re hands-on, time-efficient and packed with practical insights into today’s most pressing utility and construction topics that utility and construction professionals can apply immediately. These programs are about preparing the next generation of leaders with the tools and knowledge to succeed in a fast-moving industry.”

At The Utility Expo, attendees can register for 90-minute field classroom sessions, including:

  • Site Preparation and Clearing – Fundamentals of launching a site work project, from planning to safety and equipment.
  • Safety: Tech Trek – Innovations in Personal Protection Equipment, digital hazard detection and productivity-enhancing safety tools.
  • Pipeline Maintenance and Rehabilitation – A foundational overview of pipeline rehabilitation for water and wastewater systems.
  • Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) – Fundamentals and advanced strategies for underground utility installation.
  • Advanced Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) – Challenges and good practices for a successful installation.
  • Equipment Hydraulics – Understanding system types, maintenance and performance optimization.
  • Toolbox/Tailgate Talks – Six ready-to-use safety talks to reinforce safety culture across industries.
  • Technicians: Increase Uptime – Diagnostic tools and processes to resolve common equipment issues.
  • Introduction to Vacuum Excavating – Key concepts, safety practices and applications of vacuum excavation.
  • Street Utility Cuts and Restoration
  • Electromagnetic Underground Utility Locating
  • Aerial Devices: Consider This View

A special educational program at The Utility Expo will be the ADVANCE Program for Women in Utilities Workshop. The two-session program will include:

When You Are the Only _____ In the Room: Using Your Difference as an Asset to ADVANCE Your Career will explore concrete strategies to transform unique perspectives into powerful advantages by navigating potential biases, building unshakeable confidence abilities and learning how to effectively advocate for women professionals. Attendees will gain valuable insights into creating more inclusive environments within their workplaces and into fostering a culture of belonging where everyone can thrive.

Negotiation Tools You Need to ADVANCE Your Career will focus on essential tools and techniques to confidently navigate crucial conversations that directly impact career trajectory. Topics will include salary negotiations, how to negotiate for project assignments that will showcase your skills and how to advocate for the resources you need to succeed. Session presenters will also cover common negotiation challenges and strategies.

The Utility Expo will also host a Luncheon Symposium: Advancing Safety in the Electric Utility Industry. With safety remaining a top priority in the electric utility industry, the symposium will explore how to continue to drive down serious injuries and fatalities through proven strategies and leadership.

“Safety is much more than protocol,” said Somers. “It’s a culture that starts with leadership shaping a safer, stronger future for our workforce. The Luncheon Symposium is a unique opportunity to bring together voices from across the electric utility industry to share what’s working, what’s changing and how we can collectively raise the bar.”

The symposium will open with a keynote address by Mike Starner, executive director of outside line safety at the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). His presentation, Safety – Past, Present, and Future, will delve into the evolution of safety practices within the industry.

Starner will highlight how safety initiatives have evolved over time while emphasizing the importance of foundational principles such as hazard management, competency-based training, demonstrated proficiencies and field leadership. These core elements are key to preventing accidents and protecting workers in the ever-changing landscape of the electric utility industry.

Following the keynote, an Executive Perspectives panel will feature industry leaders discussing current challenges, opportunities and successful initiatives within their areas of responsibility. This discussion will provide valuable insights into what’s working to reduce incidents and enhance safety across the sector.

Offering an open forum for conversation, the Luncheon Symposium will conclude with a Roundtable Discussion moderated by industry experts. During this interactive session, panelists will discuss the evolving landscape of safety, share lessons learned from their organizations and explore how industry-wide collaboration can drive continued improvements in worker safety.

For more information and to register for The Utility Expo, visit theutilityexpo.com.

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