Alabama Power hosts Lineworker Career Day, educating students on utility linework and career opportunities

High school students from across central Alabama gathered at Alabama Power’s General Services Complex in Calera this week for the company’s 6th Annual Lineworker Career Day event. Over the course of five hours, students listened to speakers, participated in hands-on programs and learned about career opportunities.

First held in 2018, Lineworker Career Day is an annual event that educates high school students on utility linework and all that it involves. This year, over 200 students from 12 different schools attended the event to learn about opportunities that they can potentially take advantage of after graduation.

“Hopefully what we can do with this program is expose [students] to what we do at Alabama Power,” said Eric Boykin, Southern Division’s general manager for Power Delivery. “That’s what I’m hoping that these kids will get out of these days: they will see what we do at Alabama Power, the value that we truly bring to our customers here in the state of Alabama, and that one day they will want to be part of that picture.”

Over the course of the two-day event, students rotated between six stations spread out across the complex, learning about different facets of utility linework at each station. Subjects included basic electricity, mechanical equipment, vehicles, welding, being a lineworker and other careers. 

Additionally, stations were available for students to explore during their lunch break that featured other subjects that could pique interest. Those opportunities included a hands-on fiber training experience, a defensive driving simulator, a drone demonstration, vegetation management and other hands-on activities like knot-tying and rubber glove use.

“We’re just really trying to show these young kids the opportunities that we provide to try to attract them to the industry so that once they graduate high school, then maybe they will seek some of these opportunities,” Boykin said.