Two South Georgia Technical College Electrical Lineworker students were awarded South Georgia Technical College Foundation Scholarships recently. Thomas Houston Locke of Butler, GA and Brandon Haire of Pelham received the Foundation’s Electrical Lineworker Scholarships based on their work ethics, academics, and overall class performance.
Locke and Haire each received a general Electrical Linewoker scholarship that was funded through the SGTC Foundation in part by the Flint Energies Foundation, the Chattahoochee Flint RESA organization and the Georgia EMC Foremen & Supervisors’ Association. Both Electrical Lineworker students thanked South Georgia Tech and the SGTC Foundation for helping them with their college expenses.
“I am go grateful for this scholarship,” said Thomas Houston Locke. “I graduated high school in 2013 and completed two semesters of college before I decided it wasn’t for me. I started working part-time at Sherwin Williams Paint Company in 2014 and four years later found myself managing my own store.
“I felt very good with my accomplishments in such a short period of time, but deep down, I didn’t feel like I was doing what I was supposed to do with my life. When I was a young man, my grandfather would always tell me, ‘no matter what you do in life, do something that is going to help someone else and you will always enjoy your life.’ I thought he was telling me to become a physician like him, but the older I have gotten, the more I realized how wrong I was. I’ve since come to realize that by becoming a physician, a counselor, a police officer, or a lineman, you provide a service to others that many take for granted, especially line work as it can be a physically demanding job,” explained Locke.
“I made the decision to pursue a new career and right now I couldn’t be happier with my choice. I have loved every minute of this program and I can’t wait to start doing it every day to help my community,” added Locke, who signed his scholarship application as an aspiring lineman apprentice.
Brandon Haire also expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to receive the scholarship. “This means the world to me,” said Haire. “I cannot thank you enough for considering me. I plan to use the proceeds from this scholarship to purchase equipment to help me become a better lineman.”
South Georgia Technical College partnered with power companies, electric cooperatives and others to initiate the Electrical Lineworker Program. There was a need by these companies to replace or replenish retiring workers. Students in the Electrical Lineworker Apprentice program undergo training in the classroom, on an actual skills field with electrical poles and platforms, earn a Commercial Truck Driving Class B License and then participate in observation-based on-the-job training.
In the classroom, students learn about the AC/DC electrical theory, field training, occupational safety, team work, line construction theory, line clearance, rigging, transformers, basic telecommunications, and utility metering. Approximately two-thirds of the program is devoted to strenuous hands-on skills allowing students to develop a high degree of proficiency in the electrical lineworking equipment and procedures. All SGTC Electrical Lineworker students earn a CDL Class A or B license as part of the program. To be employed as an electrical lineworker, students must be able to drive the Bucket and Digger trucks and trailers that carry the electrical poles.
Over 500 students have graduated from this eight-week program that has a 99% job placement rating. The median annual wage for electricians, line installers and repairers is between $50,000 and $60,000 per year.
For more information about the Electrical Lineworker program at South Georgia Technical College contact Tami Blount at 229-931-2141 or tblount@southgatech.edu.