Brown and Williams Graduate Apprentice Program
Indiana Statewide Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. hosted a graduation ceremony for 20 Rural Electric Apprentice Program (REAP) participants on January 30, 2010. Attendees included families, electric cooperative managers and Indiana Statewide Association staff. Events were held at the Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre.
REAP is a four-year program for apprentice lineworkers from across Indiana. Graduates must complete 576 hours of classroom instruction and related study at the Indiana REMC Training Center, as well as 8,000 hours of on-the-job training at their electric cooperative. The training center is a state-of-the-art facility located in Franklin, Ind. which is a joint effort between Hoosier Energy and Indiana’s electric cooperatives.
During the REAP program, students are also required to complete three core classes through their local Ivy Tech State College: Human Relations in the Workplace, Economics Fundamentals and Technical Writing in the Workplace. When combined with the REAP curriculum, the courses earn graduating lineworkers an Associate of Applied Science degree from Ivy Tech.
This year’s graduates included Tipmont REMC employees Brian Brown and Doug Williams as well as the following:
Cole Eveland (Boone REMC), Jason Limp (Boone REMC), Matt Spurling (Central Indiana Power), Kurt Harris (Hendricks Power Cooperative), Josh Hill (Hendricks Power Cooperative), Ron Pych (Kankakee Valley REMC), Scott Sikora (Kankakee Valley REMC), Shane Henderson (Kosciusko REMC), Juane Day (Miami-Cass REMC), Josh Hess (Newton Co. REMC), James Foulks (Newton Co. REMC), Cole Mathas (Parke Co. REMC), Colt Burneau (United REMC), Joe Williams (United REMC), Trace Craig (United REMC), Ed Center (Warren Co. REMC), Jon Wheeldon (White Co. REMC), Doug Dale (Gaylor Electric)
“We welcome these graduates to a very special group of employees,” said Gayvin Strantz, Manager of Job Training & Safety for Indiana Statewide Association. “Lineworkers are true heroes who willingly brave severe cold and scorching heat to restore power for members when called upon, and lend a helping hand in times of natural disasters. They make a difference in our member’s lives everyday.”
The Indiana Statewide Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives, based in Indianapolis, represents 39 electric cooperatives throughout Indiana serving consumers in 89 of the state’s 92 counties. For more information about Indiana Statewide and its members, visit www.indremcs.org.