Our line crews are proud of what they do, and they don’t hesitate to share that passion with the younger generation.
Distribution System Supervisor Les Davis and five lineworkers recently visited the Coshocton County Career Center to speak with students ahead of a new Utility Lineworker program the center plans to roll out this fall.
“The Utility Lineworker program will equip students with the skills and training needed to thrive in the energy sector, ensuring that they can meet the growing needs of our communities,” Superintendent Matt Colvin said. “By investing in our students now, we are laying the foundation for a stronger, more skilled workforce that will benefit both our local community and the broader economy.”
The center is in the process of hiring an instructor to lead the program, so the AEP Ohio crew stepped in to share a real-world perspective on linework.
More than 300 sophomores from Coshocton, Ridgewood and River View high schools, plus Coshocton Christian School, homeschoolers and online learners, visited the career center to learn about its offerings for juniors and seniors. Each student picked three programs to visit, with about 40 choosing to hear more about linework. The center hopes to have at least 10 students sign up for the lineworker program this fall, Principal Andy Slaughter said. The day after the event, Colvin shared that 17 students had already applied.
AEP Ohio employees were happy to answer questions and show off their trucks and equipment. As students donned the lineworkers’ thick rubber sleeves and gloves and attempted to pick up a nut to thread onto a bolt, the crew shared stories of what linework can entail — including sweat-filled gloves in 90-degree heat and frozen beards during the bitter cold — and why they do it.
“Being a lineman is not for the faint of heart,” said KW Moore a lineworker. “There are things that are grueling, that are tough. The guys push each other — we’re not going to give people the easy road. That’s not how you get better.”
There’s a sense of camaraderie among lineworkers, Colt Lewis said. “There’s a brotherhood and a bond you have with the other guys. If I’m struggling, he’s going to help me. You’ll finish a tough job and look at your guys and say, ‘We just did that.’”
Most people don’t think about the humanitarian impact of linework, especially during storm restoration and mutual aid deployments, Line Crew Supervisor Josh Moore said.
“There’s a huge sense of pride that, when the weather’s hitting and everyone’s going north away from it, you’re heading south toward it,” he said. “It’s fulfilling because you’re impacting people’s lives. We’re bringing back normalcy — not a lot of people get to experience that. You’re restoring power and you’re getting thank yous and smiles. It’s a pretty good feeling.”
KW Moore added, “We pull into town and it looks like a bomb went off with trees and poles down everywhere. By the time we leave, there are new poles and new wires up and we’re getting the power back on. You’re doing something that people need every day. There’s a real sense of pride knowing you got the power back on for your neighbors, your family, your Aunt Judy.”
The career center’s program can provide students with a leg up when applying for linework jobs, the crew said.
“Most of us didn’t go through a high school program. I wish I would have,” KW Moore said. “You’re going to learn all the basics of being a lineworker. This school will make it easier for you to get your career started. It’s about looking into the future. You’ll be 18 years old putting into a 401(k) and retirement.”
Lewis added, “I wish I would have started 20 years ago. The entry-level stuff you’re going to learn here, you’ll put that on a résumé and you’ll be ahead of someone coming in off the street when you graduate.”
The students also had questions about lineworker pay and benefits. The team shared salary levels for D through A line mechanics, emphasizing that it’s a great way to make a living and provide for a family no matter where you live.
“Linework started a career for me that changed my life and gave me an opportunity,” Josh Moore said. “This is a career you can go anywhere with. Everyone uses electricity.”
