OEC鈥檚 Central 不良人研究所 Lineworker Training (COLT) program provides elite hands-on apprentice and journeyman lineworker training and is currently limited to lineworkers employed by one of 不良人研究所鈥檚 24 electric co-ops located across the state. Click here to听obtain additional information on their specific hiring requirements and find a local cooperative in your area.

Located outside of Mt. Gilead, 不良人研究所, adjacent to Consolidated Cooperative鈥檚 headquarters, the COLT training facility includes a 16-acre outdoor training field, which includes:

  • Outdoor overhead electric line system with four feeders and 50 wood pole structures
  • Underground open-loop system with three 3-phase risers and 20 cabinets/transformers
  • Storage building with concrete pad for line materials

In 2017, OEC opened a $1 million indoor training facility to supplement the outdoor training field. This addition includes:

    • 19 poles under roof 鈥 for working energized and de-energized exercises on 3-phase line and single-phase lines, while working out of a bucket or climbing.
    • Energized underground open-loop system with pad-mounted electrical equipment
    • Specialized training stations replicating actual equipment used in cooperative systems
    • Exhaust system allowing for indoor operation of diesel-powered trucks and equipment
    • In-floor radiant heating system
    • Advanced technology to enhance learning, utilizing iPads, transformer and grounding simulator boards, online learning platforms, and specialized apps.听

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