The Columbia State Community College Office of Workforce and Continuing Education recently hosted a Pre-Apprentice Lineworker Academy Mini-Rodeo that allowed students to demonstrate the skills they learned during the seven-week program.

In the overall rodeo, Bethany Lamon from Fayetteville came in first place, Cole McCafferty from Summertown came in second place and Timothy Brown from Hohenwald came in third place.

“This program is truly outstanding thanks to our amazing instructors and our strong partnerships with local utilities and municipalities,” said Tiffany Odom, Columbia State Workforce Solutions and Continuing Education coordinator. “I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our partners who help make this program possible, from equipment donations to facility access, pole yard maintenance and volunteering for mock interviews. Without them, this program and the success of our participants would not be possible.”

Upon completion of the program, the students received a Tennessee Valley Public Power Association climbing certification, first aid and CPR certifications, OSHA 10 with ET&D certification and NSC flagger certification. In addition, the students are prepared to sit for a commercial driver’s license.

“Over seven tough weeks in the pole yard, these participants worked to develop the skills they needed to become apprentice lineworkers,” Odom said. “After that, they moved on to CDL Class A-57 training to get fully prepared for the job. Their dedication and hard work have been incredible to watch, and I can’t wait to see where their careers take them next.”

During the mini-rodeo, students competed in different activities including the 80-foot pole climb, bell change and switch transfer.

In the first activity, students climb up and down an 80-foot pole, which is a necessary part of the TVPPA Climbing Lab Certification. In this activity, Timothy Brown from Hohenwald came in first place, Bethany Lamon from Fayetteville came in second place and Cole McCafferty from Summertown came in third place.

The bell change and switch transfer are activities linemen would do in the field because of lightning, loose connections or replacement of aging materials to maintain electricity for those in the service area.

In the bell change, students climb a 40-foot pole and change out the bell that holds the line to the pole. In this activity, Bethany Lamon from Fayetteville came in first place, Cole McCafferty from Summertown came in second place and Beau Schilling from Cornersville came in third place.

In the switch transfer, students climb a 40-foot pole to change out the switch attached to the cross-arm of the pole. In this activity, Bethany Lamon from Fayetteville came in first place, Timothy Brown from Hohenwald tied for second and third place alongside Cole McCafferty from Summertown.

In addition to her performance in the rodeo, Bethany Lamon from Fayetteville was presented with the Pre-Apprentice Lineworker Academy Outstanding Student Award.

The Lawrenceburg Utility System Mark Fields Lineman Scholarship is a partnership between the Lawrenceburg Utility System and the Tennessee Valley Authority in memory of Mark Fields. They are awarded annually to high school graduates from Lawrence County Schools. Garrett Pilkinton from Leoma was the recipient of the scholarship for the Fall 2024 semester.

11 students received scholarships through grants from the United Way of Greater Nashville’s (UWGN) Transformation Fund and the Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI).

UWGN’s Transformation Fund is intended to fuel transformational outcomes across the UWGN multi-county footprint by investing in several priority areas, including workforce development.  Funding for the Transformation Fund was provided to UWGN by a generous gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

MSI was launched in 2019 by Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands (AWMH), in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) to provide workforce opportunities for students interested in gaining the skills and training necessary to find meaningful and well-paying careers in fields and positions. Columbia State is the first community college in Tennessee to receive an MSI grant.

The Pre-Apprentice Lineworker program is a result of communities from across Middle Tennessee coming together to fill a need in the workforce. After the rodeo, participants will complete their CDL skills training to test for their CDL Class A-57 license and be ready to join the industry as an apprentice lineworker. 

For more information about the program, please visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/Lineworker. Upcoming cohorts are scheduled for the Spring 2025 and Fall 2025 semesters. All individuals interested in the program should register through the link to be placed on a contact list for future classes. Scholarships will be available, and interested participants can sign up for the contact list at www.campusce.net/columbiastate/course/course.aspx?catId=6.