... A specialization of Electrical Power & Control

It's been called one of the most challenging of all careers, but electrical linemen in the industry find it one of the most exciting, too. The powerline technician, or lineman, is not for the faint-hearted. It includes sometimes climbing great heights, working in the midst of storms, possibly riding in helicopters and dealing with high voltage wires, among other tasks.

And there's never been a better time to enter the field. As the electrical power needs of the nation continue to grow, the industry will require hundreds of thousands of new and replacement workers throughout the United States. The field is so booming, in fact, the federal government has ranked Electrician and Journeyman Lineman among its Top 50 In-demand Occupations (www.careervoyages.gov).

Because of this need, Texas State Technical College is working with industry to provide skilled technicians through its Certificate of Completion program, offered by the Electrical Power & Control department.

Students in the program will receive plenty of hands-on instruction, learning to use the actual tools of the trade with equipment such as hotline sticks; digger derrick, pole, and bucket trucks; "can't" hooks and much more.