Calhoun Community College holds Pre-Apprentice Lineworker Rodeo Competition/Completion Graduation Program on August 9
August 7, 2019On Friday, August 9, 9 am at the poles of the lineworker program instructional site, located at the intersection of Highway 31 North and Sandy Road, just across from Calhoun’s Decatur campus, Calhoun Community College alongside TVA, Decatur and Huntsville utilities will conduct a Pre-Apprentice Lineworker competition/completion program for 15 students anticipating graduation from the program. Students will rotate through multiple stations and compete in a Lineman rodeo competition. The students will be judged based on their technical and soft skills, as well as a free-climb up a 75-foot pole using spikes, ropes and a safety harness.
The program was structured with input from the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association (TVPPA) Apprentice program, regional and statewide utilities, cooperatives, and electric contractors, along with best practices from other lineworker training programs. The eight-week program is offered regionally and is based on industry need and demand. In addition to the lineworker training, students successfully completing the program also receive OSHA 10-hour safety training, First Aid/CPR Certification, and a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
“The events of the rodeo are both fast, technical and awe-inspiring to watch”, states Houston Blackwood, Calhoun’s Interim Director & Project Manager, Industrial Training. “This is one of the most exciting times of the program as parents and relatives come out to support the students, and are able to see all of the many exciting things that they learn in just a short 8-week period”, added Blackwood.
Applications are currently being accepted for the upcoming Pre-Apprentice Lineman School, which begins on October 21 – December 18, 2019, Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm on Calhoun’s Decatur campus.
For more information on Calhoun’s Lineworker program, call Houston Blackwood at (256) 306-2664 or email houston.blackwood@calhoun.edu.