Instructors provide unique perspectives in training for utility careers

Pictured above: Instructors Jon O’Boyle (left) and Brandon Shook

Nash Community College offers a degree, diploma and certificate in Electric Line Construction. For nearly 20 years, Nash has been the only college in North Carolina to provide this type of training.

The Electric Line Construction curriculum prepares students for line construction in rural and utility settings through laboratory and practical applications. NCC students master competencies including elements of electricity, overhead pole and electrical line construction, safety codes and applications, electric power system, transformer installations, and more. An emphasis on safety is embedded in the program as students earn OSHA, CDL and CPR certifications during training.

NCC Electric Line Construction instructors Jon O’Boyle and Brandon Shook provide unique perspectives for their students.  Their fathers are NCC professors, and both are NCC alumni.

“In 2009, I was working for a cable company. Though the pay was very competitive, I wanted more than a job, but a career in which I would find fulfillment. Through my employer, I learned about the electric line career and I thought it was a very admirable profession,” O’Boyle said. However, even with relevant field experience, employers told O’Boyle he would have to complete Nash’s program before they would consider him for employment. Heeding their advice, he entered the NCC Lineman Academy and graduated in 2010. O’Boyle began teaching in the program in 2014.

Shook graduated from NCC’s Academy in 2005 and spent more than a decade working as a lineman in the field. He cites his desire to help others learn about the profession as his reason for his move into academia in 2016. Shook is a third generation community college instructor.

Both O’Boyle and Shook recall their careers as field linemen fondly, saying the challenges, excitement and comradery of storm work are what they enjoyed most. “It was great traveling to help other companies, meeting other utility workers, seeing how they do things and ultimately getting people’s power back on,” O’Boyle said. “It is an amazing feeling to have people come out of their homes and cheer for you when you respond to help them during a time of need.”

These instructors bring real-world experiences to the classroom. “The best part about being an instructor is hearing about students after they get hired. When a crew foreman tells me one of our graduates really hit the ground running and is moving up quickly within their profession, it lets me know I did my job as an instructor,” O’Boyle said.

If someone is considering the program O’Boyle explained they need to be ready for challenging days, mentally and physically, that will prove to be a rewarding experience. “Once students successfully complete the training, they can go anywhere they want. There is a huge demand for linemen across the industry due to retirement,” O’Boyle said. After completing the NCC program and obtaining a third class certificate, students are ready for an entry-level position as an electric line worker.

“NCC enjoys strong longstanding relationships with major employers in the utility industry. Employers such as Duke Energy, North Carolina’s Electric Membership Cooperatives, ElectriCities of North Carolina and others often visit campus for training and recruiting, and remark that NCC serves as a primary feeder for employees seeking careers with their companies,” Vice President of Corporate and Economic Development Wendy Marlowe said. North Carolina’s Electric Membership Cooperatives were on Nash Community College’s campus recently completing Overhead Line Construction III training on the Electric Line Construction training field. The week-long course introduced energized line work while teaching the proper use of aerial lifts and application of rubber protective equipment.

“Line Construction graduates have options. They may seek employment with their local municipality or cooperative and be home most nights, or they could travel the country as a contractor building power lines,” O’Boyle said. O’Boyle, of Wendell, is an authorized Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Outreach Trainer, and a graduate of Nash’s Electric Line Construction Technologies Associate Degree program. Shook holds a North Carolina Department of Commerce Journeyman Lineman card, and graduated from NCC’s Electric Line Academy. He resides in Rocky Mount.

For more information, please call 252-451-8379.