What Is Duke Energy?
Duke Energy is based in Charlotte North Carolina and provides electric power to 7.8 million customers, and natural gas service to 1.6 million customers. Duke Energy provides services in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Puerto Rico through its numerous subsidiaries which include:
- Duke Energy Carolinas
- Duke Energy Ohio
- Duke Energy Progress
- Duke Energy Florida
- Duke Energy Puerto Rico
- Piedmont Natural Gas
Duke Energy positions range from skilled tradesmen, customer service, and corporate positions to co-op opportunities for students to help them make career decisions. There are programs to help match military veterans with the right position for them, and military leave is provided for Reservists and Guardsmen. In addition to gas and electric power, Duke Energy also has opportunities in renewable energy. If you have an interest in wind power or solar energy, then Duke Energy may have an opportunity for you.
What Is Duke Energy’s Recruitment Process?
Start your career search by creating a profile on the Duke Energy website. This will allow you to save any jobs you are interested in for closer review, and check on the status of any active applications you have submitted. Once you have submitted a resume, it will be stored in the system in case any positions that would be suitable become available. If you seem like a good fit, you will be sent an email inviting you to complete the assessment tests. You will be told which test you will be taking so you will be able to prepare for it. If you are selected, you will be contacted for an interview. Frequently you will be asked to sit for more than one interview, and they may be panel style or one on one, depending on the job you are hoping for.
Duke Energy’s Assessments
Duke Energy Applicants can expect to take EEI tests. These are tests designed by the Edison Institute specifically for people who are seeking licensing or applying for jobs in the energy sector. These tests are standardized and do not vary by company, so if you have taken the correct test battery recently, you can ask if your previous scores can be submitted. The EEI tests will vary slightly by position. All of them will test your mechanical aptitude, reasoning ability, and basic math skills. Each battery will have special areas of focus that are relevant to the position you are testing for.
- CAST – If you will be working in construction, and are a skilled tradesperson, this is the test battery you need to be ready for. It is a four-part test, with sections on graphic arithmetic, where you will use drawings to solve arithmetic problems, basic arithmetic, reading comprehension, and mechanical concepts. Each part of the test battery is multiple-choice and will be timed. The entire assessment will take around 2 hours to complete.
- POSS/MASS – Plant systems operators, and plant maintenance will be given this set of assessments. Although the areas of assessment are the same, questions will vary depending on if you are going into plant maintenance or plant operations. The individual areas you will be tested on are reading comprehension, mathematical usage, mechanical concepts, and tables and graphs. Each section is timed and multiple choice.
- TECH – This assessment is for chemical, mechanical, and mathematical engineers. If you are in any of these fields you will need to display your aptitude in reasoning from rules, graphic problem solving, interpreting diagrams, and mechanical concepts. As with all EEI tests, you will be working under a time limit, and each section of the test is multiple-choice.
- SO/PD – If you are hoping to work in power dispatch or energy system operations then you will be given this test battery. The SO/PD tests will assess your abilities in the areas of analytical thinking, reading comprehension, multi-tasking, and mathematical usage. Be prepared for time limits and a multiple-choice format.
- Virtual Assessment For Line Workers (VAL) – This line worker aptitude test consists of a job preview during which you will need to show how well you can troubleshoot, understand mechanical concepts, work with numbers, and operate equipment. There is also a behavioral section that will explore your work background, your motivations, and your work style. You will have 72 hours once you are sent the link to complete the virtual assessment.
- Customer Service Representative (CSR) – This is a test of your practical skills. There is a job skills test so candidates can prove they have the necessary skills to perform in a customer service role, and an interactive test to show that you can put those skills to use in a “real world” setting.
- Meter Reader Aptitude Battery (MRAB) – Prospective meter readers will be tested in coding and using tables to demonstrate how well they will be able to collect and record data.
How to Prepare for Duke Energy’s EEI Tests?
To successfully start or advance a career in the energy industry you need to be able to demonstrate detailed knowledge in your field. You may have already taken the EEI test to achieve licensing in your trade. If you are now applying with Duke Energy, make sure you review your test materials since you are not just testing to pass, you are testing to beat other candidates for the same job. Knowing what to study for is simple since the test batteries are designed for specific jobs. Duke Energy provides practice tests on the careers site so you can get a feeling for the types of questions you will be asked, with the exception of the MRAB and the CSR. You will also be able to find free resources on the Edison Institute website. Be sure to take the practice tests so you can work your speed in answering questions. In addition to practice tests, run arithmetic drills so you can learn to quickly make a reasonable guess instead of wasting precious time on one problem.
Comprehensive Practice for EEI’s Tests
