The Nash Community College program was initiated in 1998 and offers curriculum certificates for completing college-level credits. Students benefit from consistent training and teamwork as they train with students from sister cooperatives during each week’s class.

“The mission of North Carolina’s electric cooperatives is to provide safe, reliable and affordable power to members,” said Farris Leonard, director of Job Training & Safety Field Services for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “It takes highly trained and skilled lineworkers to achieve this goal.”

“The mission of North Carolina’s electric cooperatives is to provide safe, reliable and affordable power to members … It takes highly trained and skilled lineworkers to achieve this goal.”

The program includes courses with both classroom content and practical hands-on objectives. The specially designed training field, built by the North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives, allows for a training environment for individuals to increase their skills for application when they return to their individual cooperatives. They learn skills such as overhead line construction, underground line construction and the National Electrical Safety Code. In addition to classes in line work and energy management, students can take additional courses through the community college system toward an associate degree, such as writing, math, critical thinking, computers and communication. Twenty-five co-op lineworkers have gone on to earn associates degrees since the Electric Lineman Technology program began.

The program is supported entirely by the state’s electric cooperatives but is also attended by lineworkers from Duke Energy and municipal electric systems. “This training program is highly valued for lineworkers who are looking to advance their careers,” Leonard said. “It’s an invaluable resource for electric co-op employees and helps ensure lineworkers across the state are adept at critical skills and adhering to the latest safety protocols.”