March-2024 Cooperative Living-Choptank - CH18

Celebrating the First Powerline
Worker Pre-Apprenticeship Class
By Katie Luckett, Manager of Marketing, Communications and Education
W
e are proud to recognize
the inaugural class of
the Powerline Worker
Pre-Apprenticeship program that
graduated on December 20, 2023.
Seven participants completed this
13-week program offered by WorWic
Community College through a
partnership with Choptank Electric
Cooperative and the Virginia,
Maryland & Delaware Association of
Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC).
The graduates were Andrew Brinsky,
Ricky Donaldson Jr., Jason Lewis,
Brian Postles, Hunter Rodgers, Gavin
Roystuart and Zachary Smith.
" I cannot wait to see the success
these graduates will undoubtedly
have in their careers as powerline
workers, " said Mike Malandro,
President and CEO of Choptank
Electric. " This partnership with
Wor-Wic Community College and
the VMDAEC supports the future of
the industry and provides first-hand
training for lineworkers right here on
the Eastern Shore. "
Students received hands-on
experience with climbing, setting
and pulling poles, proper rigging and
framing, bucket truck inspection,
maintenance and operation, and
electrical test equipment. Much
of the training was conducted
at Choptank Electric's Regional
Service Center facility in Salisbury,
right across from the program's
classroom instruction at Wor-Wic
Community College.
top row l to r: Dr. Kristin Mallory, Mike Malandro, Brian Postles, Hunter Rodgers,
Gavin Roystuart, Zachary Smith, Dr. Deborah Casey, and Jerone Mabe
front row: Andrew Brinsky, Richard Donaldson Jr., and Jason Lewis
18 | COOPERATIVE LIVING | MARCH 2024 |
Students gained knowledge of the
power industry, including generation,
transmission, distribution, and
safety standards. Instruction also
covered OSHA 10, CPR/First Aid/
AED, and ATSSA Traffic Control
trainings with the goal of students
obtaining certifications. The program
was instructed by Jerone Mabe,
Manager of Technical Services for
VMDAEC.
| CHOPTANK ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE |
March-2024 Cooperative Living-Choptank

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March-2024 Cooperative Living-Choptank
