Cooperative Living June 2016 - 16

exercise took place on a night in April
when the temperature was in the 40s.
" The class went better than I anticipated
it might when we first started, " Robertson
adds. " This really is a great bunch of
students. "
And the feeling is mutual.
" It's been fantastic, and we have a great
instructor, " says student Lewis Carwile,
from Charlotte County. " I'd definitely
recommend this class and already have.
Two friends I've talked with will be in the
next class. "
" Clyde has been an excellent instructor.
He'll push you, but he lets you learn at
your own pace, and he lets you learn from
your mistakes, " adds Matthew Cox, a
Powhatan resident.
Robert Parlante of Blackstone says,
Jackie Lewis Jr. practices pulling conductor in
a circuit-construction exercise.
" Clyde's been a good teacher. He let us
learn in a hands-on way, and that stays
with you. "
" This has been a great course, " adds
Chesterfield County's Luke Storey. " It's
been a continuous, learn-as-you-go
experience, and we've been able to get out
of it what we put into it. "
" There was something different every
day, " says Blackstone's Kevin Dalton. " We
learned to climb, do transformer work,
restore systems after damage. It was
exciting. I like the heights. "
All of the students said they enjoyed
learning to climb. " Learning to climb was
probably my favorite activity, " says
Clarksville's Derek Staton. " I was worried
about that part of it at first, but by the end
of the class climbing came easy. "
" Learning to do everything off hooks
Joseph Anthony Jr. practices climbing skills.
Climbing and working from their hooks were
favorite activities of the students.
was probably my favorite thing, " adds Will
Jordan of Louisa. " Working off the hooks
on the pole, you learn to stretch out to get
the job done. There's real art to it. "
Blackstone's Joseph Anthony Jr. says,
" This has been quite an experience. I wish
it wasn't finished. I've really enjoyed getting
to know and work with people from other
areas. The bonding has been like a family.
You have to trust the person working next
to you and he has to trust you. You're
literally in control of each other's lives. "
After a work exercise, instructors Brad Wike
and Clyde Robertson (right) review the job
with (from left) students Derek Staton, Will
Jordan and Lewis Carwile.
14 | Cooperative Living | June 2016
COOPERATIVE EFFORT THROUGH
AND THROUGH
Each of Virginia's 13 consumer-owned
electric-distribution cooperatives played
a role in making the SVCC school a reality.
The two cooperatives nearest Pickett
Park, Southside Electric Cooperative and
Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative, were
actively involved in supplying the students
with materials and expertise during the
11-week course.
" The SVCC Power Line Worker program
provides a tremendous advantage for those
who complete the curriculum. Upon
graduation, students possess enhanced
knowledge and nationally recognized
workforce credentials that are extremely
attractive to employers in the electric-utility
industry, " says Jeff Edwards, president and
CEO of Southside Electric Cooperative.
Keith Harkins, vice president of
workforce development and continuing
education for SVCC, says, " This program is
a fantastic example of a public/private
partnership. Southside Virginia Community
College is honored to partner with Virginia's
electric cooperatives, and with the
governor's office and the Virginia
Community College System, and with many
others, too, to make this program a reality.
We are excited for the students who will
learn skills leading to a rewarding career,
and we are privileged to work with partners
who recognize the value of training the
future workforce. "
John Lee, president and CEO of
Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative,
observes, " Working on the team that
established this line-workers school has
been one of the most gratifying experiences
I've had in my personal or professional life.
Early on, we identified a growing need for
line workers and aggressively set out to
address it.
" This school will play a critical role in
replacing retiring line workers with
candidates who are well trained and have a
distinct advantage over other applicants
because of the certification they will have
earned here. These graduates will make a
positive contribution to the electric-utility
industry ―and help ensure reliable electric
service ―for decades to come.
" There are many, many benefits for a
number of stakeholders associated with this
school ... but mostly what it represents is
great opportunity for the Commonwealth,
for electric utilities, and for hard-working
kids who want an alternative career that's
challenging, rewarding and serves the
greater public good. " 
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
For information on upcoming Power Line
Worker Training School sessions, contact
Susan Early at susan.early@southside.edu or
434-292-3101; or visit www.southside.edu/
content/power-line-worker-program.
The next class is slated to begin July 11 but
is already full, according to the school. An
autumn class scheduled to begin on Oct. 3 still
has openings, however, and the spring 2017
class will begin on April 3.
www.co-opliving.com
http://www.southside.edu/ http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living June 2016

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