Jonathan Grotefendt story:
A Navy Nuclear trained Electricians Mate, First Class Petty Officer (E-6) with 6 years of experience in the areas of submarine electrical distribution and casualty control operations. He is a qualified Electrical Operator who controlled the electrical distribution plant on an entire Ohio-Class Nuclear Submarine. This included the turbine generators, diesel generator, motor generators, ship’s battery, and shore supply electricity ensuring the maximum reliability of power to all systems on the submarine. His journey with our program started when he was referred to us by another student and then decided to enroll into the Power4Vets program in January 2017. Jonathan aggressively started the training and graduated from the Power System Operations courses in March 2017, then achieved passing his NERC Reliability Coordinator Certification in May 2017 with flying colors. As a unified team we collaborated together to embark on finding him employment and we are pleased to announce that he landed a job with ERCOT in Taylor Texas as a System Operator before he officially transitioned out of the Navy
Congratulations to Jonathan Grotefendt for believing in the Power4Vets program and we are proud of your success!
“Words from Jonathan”
One of the first things David Miranda shared with me was a video titled “ERCOT’s Control Room.” My first introduction to the NERC world was this video, and from that moment I knew I wanted to work in the field. Throughout my training and studying I had that exact control room in mind. As I recovered from island conditions in the simulator, I had ERCOT in mind. As I was taking the NERC exam, I had ERCOT in mind. Little did I know that several months later I would be there in person, interviewing for that very job.
After my first conversation with David, I knew that Power4Vets was different. It was more than just a study tool which hopefully crams enough information down your throat in order to barely pass an exam. It’s a training course with incredible simulation, carefully selected readings and quizzes, and video lectures designed by professionals who have decades of experience in the field. It was this training that allowed me to completely crush not only the exam, but my resume and interviews as well. I used examples from the simulator with the hiring managers, and got offered almost every job I applied for.
I feel like I just landed my dream job and I couldn’t be more excited about the future or more appreciative for the Power4Vets program. I recommend it to everyone—everyone. It’s worth every penny and more. The job finding service isn’t a head-hunting program. It’s a personal service which helps you open many doors, and then gives you the tools to get through the right one. Many employers know about Power4Vets, and the word is still spreading that these graduates are the best choice when selecting new operators to join your team. I’m proud to be one of them.