For the third year in a row Gateway Community and Technical College was awarded a grant from the Duke Energy Foundation to support its lineworker certificate.
Gateway is one of 15 organizations in the southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky area to collectively receive $300,000 in grants provided by the Duke Energy Foundation.
“This grant will help us to fulfill our commitment to providing an engaging and relevant curriculum to the Northern Kentucky region,” said Dr. Fernando Figueroa, Gateway president. “Our lineworker certificate program is preparing our students not only for good-paying jobs, but also better lives.”
The grant will allow Gateway to enhance the requirements of its lineworker certificate. Gateway will be able to add a digger derrick so that students will learn how to safely install utility poles. By adding this equipment, Gateway will not only deepen student knowledge and skills but will also create a better-prepared utility workforce.
Gateway is Duke Energy’s only Midwest partner college for lineworker training.
Students who complete the accelerated certificate have an understanding of the skills, knowledge, safe work practices and physical ability required to become line technician apprentices. 21 students have earned Gateway’s lineworker certificate since its launch in the spring 2020 semester.
“This program with Gateway will help develop the talent pipeline for lineworkers here in Greater Cincinnati,” said Amy Spiller, president of Duke Energy Ohio & Kentucky. “As our lineworkers approach retirement, it is critical that we are helping to build our future workforce through vital programs like this.”
The Duke Energy Foundation’s Powerful Communities program makes strategic investments to build powerful communities where our natural resources thrive, students can excel and a talented workforce drives economic prosperity for all. The Foundation annually funds more than $30 million to communities throughout Duke Energy’s seven-state service area.
To learn more or to sign up for Gateway’s lineworker certificate, visit gateway.kctcs.edu.
Gateway Community and Technical College