A trio of apprentices from the OPD5 line crew completed the next stage in their path of becoming electrical linemen last week. All three passed a complex series of annual examinations at a lineman training testing facility in St. George, Utah on December 3-4.
For Michael Abbott and Zach Barnum the exam was the final step in completing a grueling four-year apprenticeship. Both men passed the rigorous exam and were advanced to Journeyman status.
It was also the half-way mark for Dalyn Leavitt who was completing the second year of his program. Leavitt is now moving forward as a third year apprentice.
These annual step tests for lineman apprentices are not for the faint of heart. They are notoriously difficult exams demanding tremendous dedication and years of careful preparation.
That is as it should be, said OPD5 Line Operations Manager Kyle Leavitt. “It is a complex, and sometimes hazardous job that these guys are working towards,” he said. “And it is an essential role for OPD5. So, if possible, we want them to be over-prepared for it. All available resources, including the experience of our whole line crew, is brought together to support them in this process. It is just that important to us. And we are proud of these men for stepping up and taking it just as seriously.”
The process includes some rigorous online coursework to learn complex technical material. Most of the study must be done on the candidate’s own time to prepare for the extensive written portion of the exam.
But understanding the concepts and principles in abstract is just a small portion of the process. The program also requires intense practical exams involving intricate electrical work done at the top of a power pole.
“The practical portion of the test is, in my opinion, the most stressful part,” Abbott said. “On the day of the test, you show up and are assigned a random scenario. You don’t know what it is going to be before-hand because your assigned tester kind of just comes up with it on the spot. Right there, you have to develop a plan of action and make it happen with almost no margin for error. That’s pretty tough.”
This is where all the extra preparation, focus and training must pay off. All three men praised OPD5 for providing the resources and facilities that they needed to be successful.
“The district has its own pole training yard in Overton where we can practice,” Barnum said. “So we all have been spending our Saturdays there every week for the past couple of months. We do mock tests where our linemen actually come out, too, and act like our testers. That way we can be exposed to a lot of different scenarios. Plus we get a little taste of what the test day is going to be like.”
All three men emphasized the signficant sacrifices made by their spouses and other family members as they have navigated through this multi-year process.
“It is a lot of time and focus, and let’s face it, that burden has fallen a lot on my wife,” Abbott said. “I mean, from us attending classes in St. George every Wednesday when we are gone until 7 or 8 at night; to every Saturday being at the pole yard; to going to hotline school where we are gone for a whole week of training – and through all of that my wife is at home with the kids – to her even taking time to go through flashcards with me to get ready for the test. Her help and support has been essential in getting this done. I think we all feel that way.”
OPD5 CEO/General Manager MeLisa Garcia said that she was pleased with the advancements of the three employees. “We invest a lot in these guys to make them experts in their field; and they invest a lot in themselves,” she said. “We are happy to see all that investment, hard work and dedication pay off. The whole OPD5 family is truly proud of their efforts.”