Trinidad State Junior College offers a line technician program at both the Trinidad and Colorado Springs, Colo., campuses. Students choose either a certificate or a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree program. Courses teach students about construction and design of overhead electric systems, general electricity knowledge and working with live lines. Students get hands-on experience through the local San Isabel Electric Association and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. The one-year certificate focuses on line technician training while the two-year degree includes general education courses such as social studies, math, laboratory science and communications.
South Florida Community College in Avon Park, Fla., offers a more involved four-year program that functions more like an apprenticeship program than a typical classroom degree. Students learn about safety, electrical systems, transformers, meters and measuring electric output, understanding AC systems, voltage and distribution systems. Instruction takes place in class but the course also offers practice through 8,000 hours of hands-on experience. The entire program takes four years to complete and is designed to prepare graduates for entry-level positions as linemen.
Somerset Community College in Somerset, Ky., also prepares students for entry-level positions. One of the elements that sets Somerset's program apart is the indoor training facility. A large portion of the program focuses on safety, and aside from the typical curriculum regarding electrical systems, Somerset's program includes CDL (commercial driver's license) training, a requirement for the industry. Students learn to operate the machinery associated with the line technician job such as bucket trucks and diggers. The program runs for 32 weeks.
Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde, Texas, offers a certificate program in lineman training. Students spend 10 weeks focusing on electrical systems, climbing training, safety, transformers and troubleshooting distribution systems. The certificate requires an additional two weeks to achieve a CDL. Both portions include classroom instruction and hands-on, real-world training. Classes meet all day, Monday through Friday, until complete. Entry requirements are rather strict for STJC, including a criminal background check, drug test, physical fitness test and proof of health insurance.