Duke Energy continues to power SPC’s lineworker program

With the huge success of the Electrical Lineworker Program at St. Petersburg College, Duke Energy is helping its expansion by generously donating $114,000 to increase the number of lineworker instructors. 

Since the program’s debut in March 2021, Duke Energy and the Duke Energy Foundation have contributed more than $250,000 to develop this workforce pipeline as well as to offer access to lineworker training and job skills opportunities. 

“After seeing the initial success of the Electrical Lineworker Program at St. Petersburg College, we knew that additional support from Duke Energy could go a long way in meeting the needs of our communities and shaping the next generation of lineworkers,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “We were thrilled by the number of students interested in the program, so we decided to increase our commitment. Duke Energy’s investment allows the college to hire more instructors and help even more students gain the hands-on, essential skills needed to begin a career in energy.”

The 14-week program at SPC’s Allstate Center in St. Petersburg provides students with practical lineworker skills so they are job ready. The class includes certifications in Restricted Class A CDL (in partnership with Pinellas Technical College), OSHA 10 Safety Training, Bucket Truck Rescue, Pole Top Rescue, and CPR/AED & First Aid.

SPC graduate Jesse Smith believes the training prepared him to start a new career at Duke Energy.

“The electrical line class at St. Pete College granted me the opportunity to fulfill my passion in working in the line industry,” Smith said. “This program gave me a head start in the field, helped me find a job, and taught me valuable work methods and safety procedures.” 

The Electrical Lineworker Program is made possible through valuable partnerships with Duke Energy, the Pinellas County Urban League, PowerTown Line Construction, Pinellas Technical College and CareerSource Pinellas.

For more information about this program, contact Dan Fumano at (727) 341-4430 or fumano.dan@spcollege.edu. All interested applicants are encouraged to apply by completing a survey at stpe.co/lineworkerprogram. Once the survey is complete, applicants will be contacted about future classes that we will be conducting interviews for and filling.