The Columbia State 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 7-week program.

“We are so proud of this program and the opportunities it provides participants to find gainful employment in such a vital industry,” said Melody Murphy, Columbia State Workforce and Continuing Education operations director. “Many of our previous participants have found jobs with local employers or with contractors traveling the country, and we look forward to continuing to produce highly-skilled applicants for utilities and municipalities in our service area and throughout the southeast region.”

Upon completion of the program, the students received a Tennessee Valley Public Power Association climbing certification, first aid and CPR certifications, 10-hour safety card and flagging certification. In addition, the students are prepared to sit for a commercial driver’s license.

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

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, Aiden Grissom from Walling came in first place, Christian Morrow from Columbia came in second place and Blake Morrow from Columbia came in third place. 

In the transition climb, students are timed while they climb up a 40-foot pole and make two transitions over wires to then make their way back down the pole. This displays their ability to safely disconnect from the pole while using their secondary safety line. In this activity, Blake Morrow came in first place, Benjamin Seaton from Culleoka came in second place and Blane Davis from Mount Pleasant came in third place.

The bell change and switch transfer are activities lineman would do in the field as a result 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, Blane Davis came in first place, William Alsup from Columbia came in second place and Hunter Jones from McMinnville 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, Benjamin Seaton came in first place, Aiden Grissom came in second place and Walker Daniel Bolton from Lewisburg and William Alsup tied for third place.

In the overall rodeo, Blake Morrow came in first place, Ben Seaton came in second place and Blane Davis came in third place. 

In addition to his performance in the rodeo, Blane Davis was presented with the Pre-Apprentice Lineworker Academy Outstanding Student Award.

The Pre-Apprentice Lineworker program is a result of communities from across Middle Tennessee coming together to fill a need in the workforce. 

For more information about the program, please visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/Lineworker. The program will now be offered twice in the spring and once in the fall. All individuals interested in the program should register through the link and it will place them on a waitlist for future classes.