The Duke Energy Foundation has awarded a $100,000 K to Career Grant to Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute for future expansion of the Electrical Lineman Institute.
Robin Nicholson, Duke Energy Corporation’s Government and Community Relations District Manager, made a formal presentation to college officials on June 19. She said the program is a vital part of Duke Energy’s recruitment of new employees.
“Having this program at CCC&TI opens up so many opportunities to this region,” she said. “This program has been a tremendous plus for the area and it’s a vital part of our workforce development. We need skilled, trained line workers and this is the place to start.”
The grant funding will support future plans that include construction of a new training facility on campus, which will provide the ability to expand the program’s enrollment capacity and produce more graduates to meet industry workforce needs.
The CCC&TI Electrical Lineman program, which is offered on the Caldwell Campus in Hudson, prepares students for a career as an apprentice for a Journeyman Lineman. Students develop the knowledge and skills to install, operate, maintain, and repair indoor and outdoor residential, commercial, and industrial electrical systems, and associated power transmission lines.
The 20-week program has attracted students from across the country and boasts a nearly 100-percent job placement rate for graduates. The planned expansion of the program is in response to industry demand from across the state and region.
“The demand for new line workers is exceeding our capacity to train them and this gift will help tremendously,” CCC&TI President Dr. Mark Poarch said. “Thank you to Duke Energy for their generous support of our Electrical Lineman program and the institution. We’re excited to partner with companies like Duke Energy, and others in the region, to meet their workforce needs.”
The grant was part of $2.5 million awarded by Duke Energy in May statewide to support early childhood literacy, STEM education and workforce development.
Anyone interested in registering for CCC&TI’s Electrical Lineman Institute can visit www.cccti.edu/coned or call 828-726-2242 for more information.
Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is one of the largest energy holding companies in the United States. Its Electric Utilities and Infrastructure business unit serves approximately 7.5 million customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest. The company’s Gas Utilities and Infrastructure business unit distributes natural gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its Commercial Renewables business unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across the United States. Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange
