Central Maine Power, On Target Utility Services Uniquely Suited to Support KVCC Lineworker Program with Utility Pole Donations
Central Maine Power, On Target Utility Services Uniquely Suited to Support KVCC Lineworker Program with Utility Pole Donations
Fairfield – March 14—Central Maine Power (CMP) and On Target Utility Services donated 27 utility poles to Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) to support the education and training of students in the Electrical Lineworker Technology (ELT) program on the Harold Alfond campus in Hinckley. In addition, Coutts, an electrical line construction and maintenance company based in Randolph, moved two 100-foot poles from the KVCC campus in Fairfield to its campus in Hinckley.
“CMP is uniquely suited to supporting the program and material needs of the KVCC Electrical Lineworker Technology program and can move quickly to provide such unique items as utility poles and wire. We have the poles, the trucks and the industry relationships to get KVCC what they need,” said Doug Herling, president and CEO, CMP. “We have a long-term relationship with KVCC and the ELT program that benefits the students, Maine electric customers and CMP’s recruiting needs.”
“The Electrical Lineworker Technology program at KVCC is an invaluable source of skilled talent for On Target Utility Services and we are eager to provide the tools of the trade that the students and College need to continually improve education and training,” said Rita Bilodeau, Vice President, On Target. “With well-trained employees, On Target Utility Services offers customers such as CMP diversity, quality and value in the contracting services we provide.”
“The impact of gifts like this is significant.” In expressing his gratitude for the Central Maine Power, On Target Utility Services, and Coutts collaboration, Richard Hopper, President of KVCC, noted that partnerships with local businesses are key to ensuring the best preparation for KVCC graduates to enter the demanding profession of electrical line work. “Partnerships like this demonstrate our focus on making sure that KVCC students continue to receive high-quality, relevant, affordable, hands-on training to meet the changing needs of Maine’s workforce and economy.”
KVCC’s ELT program is a one-year certificate program providing students with the technical background and the applied skills necessary for careers in the installation and maintenance of electrical power, telephone, internet, and cable television infrastructure. Safety, pole climbing, electrical theory, and teamwork are emphasized while the students learn and perform overhead and underground construction. Approximately two-thirds of the program is devoted to the development of hands-on skills and exposure to the strenuous tasks faced by electrical lineworkers, allowing students to develop a high degree of proficiency in the use of electrical lineworking equipment and procedures.
“Many of our programs require unique materials in order for students to learn and become truly proficient in a trade,” said Karen Normandin, VP of Student Affairs, Public Relations, Enrollment Planning for Kennebec Valley Community College. “Utility poles are among the most challenging materials to source and deliver, demonstrating why these private partnerships are so valuable to the College and our students.”
More than 570 students have completed the KVCC ELT program since its inception in 1990. Following graduation, 91.3% are employed within six months earning a high starting salary with significant opportunities for advancement.
CMP has a long history of supporting the KVCC Electrical Lineworker Technology program with the development of the KVCC Avangrid Foundation and Central Maine Power Center for Electrical Lineworker Technology in the Nutter Fieldhouse on the KVCC Harold Alfond Campus in Hinckley, and donations of scholarship funds, wire, vehicles, and expertise. Many of the bucket trucks, poles, and other equipment used in the program came to the College as donations from Central Maine Power, the Avangrid Foundation, On Target Utility Services, and Coutts.
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