April 18 is National Line Worker Appreciation Day. Though it’s only one day per year, the nation’s roughly 120,000 line workers work 24/7, 365 days a year to keep the power flowing.
Here in South Central Power country, one of those line workers is Ben Jones, a journeyman line worker from the Kingston area who’s been with South Central Power since 2015. In addition to his role at South Central Power, Ben helps to train the next generation of line workers as an instructor in the power line program at Pickaway-Ross Career Center.
Finding His Path
From a young age, Ben enjoyed the outdoors and working with his hands. When the time came to explore career paths, he had a chance to shadow a line crew. “I knew when I saw a line crew in action, this was the job for me,” Ben says. “It’s coming to work and doing something different every day. It’s getting to enjoy the outdoors. And I like the idea that I am doing something that helps the community where I am from, and it’s not something that just anyone can do.”
Getting Started in Line Work
It took hard work, education, and training to get Ben where he is today with a career as a journeyman line worker. First, he had to graduate high school and complete a power line program through a local community college or trade school with a line worker program. After that, Ben found an apprenticeship which he completed at South Central Power. His apprenticeship included working as an apprentice lineman while also participating in a training program that took approximately four years. The training included hands-on instruction at COLT, the Central Ohio Line Worker Training program, jointly administered by electric cooperatives across Ohio. After attaining journeyman status, Ben chose to continue his education, taking advantage of South Central Power’s educational reimbursement program to work toward a degree in applied science from West Virginia University – Parkersburg.
Challenges Along the Way
Though Ben enjoys his career and finds it rewarding, it’s also extremely challenging. “I will never forget a severe storm a few years ago,” Ben recalls. “We were working in a remote area on severe storm damage. Another line worker and I were on top of a pole with high winds and pouring rain for several hours in the middle of the night. At times you wonder what you’ve gotten yourself into, but at the end of the night, when you get to see the lights come on and you know you’ve helped people in a time of need, it’s worth it.”
“Being a line worker is a lifestyle. You come to work every day knowing you’re facing a different challenge, and you have to have a passion for this career.” — Ben Jones, journeyman line worker
Making a Difference
Though Ben enjoys serving his home community and neighbors as a coop employee, he also was able to use his skills internationally to bring power to people for the very first time. “In 2020, I went to Guatemala and had a chance to help build 2.5 miles of line with other line workers to bring power to a village that had never had electricity,” he recalls. “I will never forget the smiles on people’s faces when they knew the work we were doing was going to improve their lives by bringing them power.”
What matters most
Line work can be a dangerous career, and that’s why Ben says safety is the top priority. “Line workers are a brotherhood, and we all work together to follow safety guidelines to make sure everyone goes home safe at the end of the day.” Line workers rely on each other for safety, and also work closely together to accomplish difficult tasks. “Safety is No. 1 and we have to be able to trust each other to always do the right thing. South Central Power is like a family and they give you all the resources you need to be successful. It’s a great career and like nothing you’ll find anywhere else.”
Steps to Becoming a Journeyman Line Worker
- Graduate from a power line certification program
- During this program, you will learn how to use the equipment, tools, and safety and protective equipment, and learn how to climb a pole. You will typically obtain a CDL, commercial drivers license, during this time.
- Be hired as an apprentice line worker
- South Central Power hires apprentices, who learn from our experienced journeyman line workers
- Complete the apprentice program
- Apprentices work four to five years while completing the apprentice training program to obtain their journeyman’s status.
From the April 2023 issue of Ohio Cooperative Living.