Your Power

Fifteen Linemen Complete Advanced Education

September 2016

Nash Community College recognized 15 electric cooperative linemen this year for completing advanced education work in the college’s Electric Lineman Technology program. Fourteen earned advanced certificates for completing 17 college-level credits, and one completed work for his Associate degree.

NashCC 693

UNC Pembroke student Adam Kelly charges his Chevy Volt.

The program includes training, safety and security courses in the classroom and outdoors on a specially designed training field built by North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. They learn skills such as overhead line construction, underground line construction and the National Electrical Safety Code. Beyond classes in line work and energy management, they can take courses ranging from writing and math to critical thinking, computers and communication to work toward an Associate degree.

Since the program began in 1998, 18 co-op linemen have graduated with an Associate Degree in Electric Lineman Technology. The community college program is supported entirely by the cooperatives but is also attended by linemen from Duke Energy and the municipal electric systems. This year, 297 students are enrolled in the electric cooperatives’ training schools at Nash Community College.

Listed are the co-op employees who completed the work in 2016.