Linemen Complete Advanced Education Programs

EnergyUnited Crew Leader Shay Reed (center, at pole) was an instructor during an Overhead Line Construction session.

This year, Nash Community College recognized 11 electric cooperative linemen for completing advanced education work in the college’s Electric Lineman Technology program. Ten earned advanced certificates for completing 17 college-level credits; one earned a diploma for completing 36 college-level credits; and one completed work for his associate degree, completing 66 college-level credits.  

The program includes Job Training & Safety courses in the classroom and outdoors on a specially-designed training field built by North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. Program participants 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 toward an associate degree ranging from writing and math to critical thinking, computers and communication. 

Since the program began in 1998, 19 co-op linemen have graduated with an associate degree in Electric Lineman Technology. The community college program is supported entirely by the electric cooperatives, but it also is attended by linemen from Duke Energy and municipal electric systems. 

In 2017, 335 students are enrolled in North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives’ Job Training & Safety Training Schools at Nash Community College.  

Listed are co-op linemen who completed the work during the spring semester of 2017.  

Advanced Certificate

Four County EMC
Anthony (Brett) Noble

Haywood EMC
David Mehaffey

Pee Dee Electric
Eli Randall

Piedmont Electric
David Bolick

Roanoke Electric
Justin Francis

South River EMC
Eric Simpson

Tideland EMC
Joshua Bain
Jason Kitchen
Phillip Sawyer

Union Power Cooperative
Chris Griffin

Diploma

Halifax EMC
Brandon Robertson

Associate Degree

Union Power Cooperative
Chris Griffin