Graduates from GNTC’s Electrical Lineworker program for summer 2024 are (from left, front row) Dylan Cy Dobbs, Michael Bryant Gibson, Gustavo Angel Cruz, Tyler Brownlow and Hutch Taff; (back row) Jonathan Moore, Austin Henson, Christopher Austin Wood, John R. West II and Hayden Waters.
Ten students graduated on Wednesday from Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Electrical Lineworker program during a ceremony at GNTC’s Polk County Campus in Rockmart.
The students experienced a vigorous, 10-week training program that included donated equipment such as trucks, poles and climbing equipment, as well as hands-on expertise from GNTC instructors. Upon completing the program, students received four certificates of completion for Electrical Lineworker, a restricted Class A Commercial Truck Driving (CDL) license, OSHA 10-Hour General Industry and an overall certificate verifying 395 training hours completed.
The program is offered through GNTC’s Office of Economic Development.
The summer 2024 cohort is the fifth cohort of the program since it began in fall 2022.
“Including these young gentlemen, this is 74 lineworkers that GNTC has graduated and put into an industry that we all depend on,” said Judy Roddenberry, CDL instructor at GNTC. “These graduates are certified for utility companies. They are ready to fill entry-level lineworker positions and have the foundational knowledge to advance their skills.”
Ms. Roddenberry said the program is growing. Two industry partners have each donated a pole trailer to the program recently, the program has purchased a bucket truck that has a two-person bucket and a new expanded pole field has been built.
Graduates from the fifth cohort of the program are Tyler Brownlow, Gustavo Angel Cruz, Dylan Cy Dobbs, Michael Bryant Gibson, Austin Henson, Jonathan Moore, Hutch Taff, Hayden Waters, John R. West II and Christopher Austin Wood.
The next cohort of GNTC’s Electrical Lineworker program starts Aug. 26 and still has openings. For more information about the program, go to https://www.gntc.edu/lineworker or contact the Office of Economic Development via email at lineworker@gntc.edu.