TCC helps keep your lights on with new partnership

Whether it is keeping your lights on during a spring storm with high winds or making sure the 2013 Super Bowl in New Orleans maintains power, substation technicians are in demand in the electric power industry. Many of the substation technicians currently employed are reaching retirement age and the power utility industry is experiencing a shortage of candidates for employment.

Tulsa Community College and ENOSERV are partnering to offer classes in a new Electrical Substation Technology program. TCC will be one of the few community colleges in the country to offer the training associated with this new program. The classes and curriculum were developed in partnership with ENOSERV and industry experts after learning of the need for skilled workers both for power utility companies and large manufacturers that depend on their own electrical substations.

“In this new economy where skilled workers are so essential, TCC wants to ensure it remains responsive to workforce demands of our local employers and this program is an example of what we can do,” said Lauren Brookey, TCC VP of External Affairs. “TCC continues to serve our students by equipping them with skills that transfer to the job market, and this training could allow them to step directly into the workforce thanks to the current environment.”

In addition to providing a knowledgeable industry instructor for the courses, ENOSERV donated $100,000 and relay equipment to TCC to help support the new program. ENOSERV is a Tulsa-based software company that pioneered the idea of universal/multi-platform system protection testing for power companies.

“ENOSERV constantly strives to find ways to support the power industry. In terms of timing, this was the perfect opportunity for us to pair up with TCC. As a software and service provider, we are constantly aware of the urgent need for good relay technicians. This is especially encouraging in an economy where jobs are a scarcity,” says Dennis Loudermilk, ENOSERV president and CEO.

Loudermilk said in his efforts to hire qualified employees, he found a need for a hands-on substation technician training program. He said the starting salary for an individual with specialized substation training begins at $50,000 to $60,000 and can easily move into the six-figure range with a few years of experience.

Classes begin this semester with a Substation Relay Circuits class to be offered in the second eight-week session which starts mid-March. The class meets one night per week (Friday) for four hours for eight weeks. The substation specific courses will be offered in a credit or noncredit format allowing traditional students and seasoned electrical workers to be in the same class.

Left photo: TCC Northeast Campus Provost John Gibson and ENOSERV CEO and President Dennis Loudermilk sign the agreement

Right photo: TCC Associate Dean for STEM Dave Sollars, TCC Vice President of External Affairs Lauren Brookey, ENOSERV President Dennis Loudermilk, TCC Northeast Campus Provost John Gibson