York Technical College receives $200,000 Duke Energy grant
York Technical College was recently awarded $200,000 from the Duke Energy Line Worker Training Grant Program to help expand the College’s Line Worker Program. The grant will help the College relocate the program to its state-of-the-art Chester Center and expand program offerings.
Relocation of the line worker program to the Chester Center will not only increase classroom space and program capacity, it will also provide students with convenient access to technology and comprehensive student support services that will maximize their potential for success.
“This grant from Duke Energy is a wonderful opportunity to help York Technical College expand the Utility Line Worker Program as we see to further strengthen the skills and training of our current and future students,” said York Technical College President Greg F. Rutherford. “Students who graduate from our line worker program are employed throughout South and North Carolina’s energy industry and beyond. We are grateful for Duke’s continued and generous investments in our College.”
Additionally, beginning this fall, the College’s non-credit line worker program will transition into three new academic credit programs including the Basic Utility Line Worker Certificate and the Advanced Utility Line Worker Certificate, along with offering an Associate of Applied Science in Management with a specialization in Utility Line Work. Now students who enroll in line worker programs will be eligible to apply for federal and state financial aid. Previously, students who enrolled in the line worker program were only eligible for a limited amount of private financial assistance. The College anticipates the relocation and credit program options will help attract more students to this rewarding field.
“We have enjoyed our partnership with York Technical College for years and I have seen firsthand the quality of their programs and the students they produce,” said Rick Jiran, the vice president of community relations at Duke Energy-South Carolina. “The tremendous growth in this region and employee retirements have resulted in a shortage of line workers, and this partnership will help Duke Energy fill that void. We look forward to watching the line worker program at York Tech grow.”
Upon completion of one of the line worker programs, students can work in a variety of positions that include telecommunications, water, sewer, information technology infrastructure and electrical utilities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the starting salary for line installers and repairers was $38,640 and the median pay was $65,880 in 2018.
The College is proud to boast a 100% job placement rate of its previous line worker program completion. These individuals are employed in the utility line worker field and have successful careers working at municipal power providers like the City of Rock Hill, York Electric Cooperative, Duke Energy, and more. For more information about our program, visit yorktech.edu/major/utility-line-worker.