Apprentice Lineworker Program Graduate Students

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On December 5, 2014, the NEPPA Apprentice Lineworker School graduated a class of nine lineworkers. Throughout the last four years, the class studied the Northwest Lineman College curriculum, which covers 10 work-related topics each year. Each subject is presented by NEPPA Instructor Steve Socoby and an exam is then taken for each topic. A score of 70 is needed to pass the exams and the entire class of apprentice students passed all of their tests. Each week a series of practical exercises related to the classroom work was also presented in the outdoor pole yard and inside the training facility to make the lessons more relevant. These exercises include pole climbing, pole top and bucket rescue, rigging, conductor cover-up, and 3 phase transformer connections, to name only a few of the skills presented that each lineworker surely will face as they continue their careers.

Safety is always emphasized as the primary consideration for each lineworker and is a must while working in the pole yard. Pole top and/or bucket rescue are practiced at almost every class to ensure each student will be ready to perform a rescue if the need ever arises. On the last day of class a graduation luncheon was enjoyed by the apprentices and supervisors followed by a presentation of Certificates of Completion from Northwest Lineman College and from Northeast Public Power Association.