Course Description
The primary goal of the Powerline Course is to develop students into productive knowledgeable citizens who are able to provide for themselves in a way that is beneficial to the community which they live. The Powerline program is a work at your own pace program open to all students in grades 9-12, and designed for students who are interested in employment in the powerline, electrical, or telecommunications field. The student will be taught how to climb wooden utility poles, install conductors, transformers and assorted hardware for power and telecommunications. The telecommunications portion of this program offers industry certification in fiber-optics and copper-based systems.
This course emphasizes the development of hands on skills as well as the theory necessary to succeed in the lineman field. Practical work taught in the course will include but not limited to setting poles by hand, bucket truck operation, digger truck operation, steel tower work, basic residential house wiring, conduit bending, blueprint reading, and safety. The students who complete the powerline course will be prepared to pursue a livelihood in this field starting at an entry, or apprentice level.
Skills Learned:
Some of the skills a student will be able to perform are pole climbing, tower work, installation of high voltage conductors and hardware, trouble shooting and power restoration, underground conductor installation and repair, fiber-optic and copper networking installation and repair, electrical theory, and basic residential house wiring installation and repair.
Related Occupations and Earnings:
Related occupations include meter reader, electrician, and tree trimmer. Earnings range between $13-$38/hour.
Post-Secondary Opportunities:
Articulated credits can be earned toward an Associate’s Degree at Institutions such as Westmoreland County Community College.
Instructor:
Mr. Bartlow – Powerline Instructor Phone Number – 724-925-3532 x. 1361 Office Hours: 7:15am to 7:45am 10:45am to 10:55am 2:30pm to 2:45pm Please leave a voicemail message outside of these times.