Pros
One of the best parts about working at AEP are the opportunities for internal mobility. At AEP, and particularly in the Commercial Operations division, people are encouraged to try different projects and groups. Upward and as well as lateral mobility is quite common, and many people switch roles every couple of years. This kind of dynamic environment (1) produces a workforce that better understands how their work fits into "the big picture" (2) allows employees to get to know and network with a broader cross-section of the company, and (3) forces us to re-examine the old methods and habits in search of improvement. Before getting to know AEP, I had imagined the company as any old utility -- rigid and boring -- but after two years, I'm still excited to work there!
Cons
A negative to working at a large company such as AEP is the disconnect between divisions and operating companies. Besides AEP's regional utilities across several states, there are also river barge operations, special environmental projects, and energy market trading activity. While corporate management tries to unify the company through e-mails, a good intranet site and company newsletters, it's still sometimes difficult to see the big picture of the company and truly understand what's happening. Another frustrating aspect of working at AEP is the time it takes to work through layers of IT security for new employees. It takes several days to get security badges to work, e-mail accounts to be set up, access for computer applications to be granted, and passwords to function. These problems make it difficult for new employees to acclimate to the climate and to jump right into their new jobs.