MATC is bringing lineworker training program to Milwaukee to meet demand

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Hoping to grow a more diverse workforce, Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) is bringing a sought-after program to its Milwaukee campus.

Line workers have a dangerous job that keeps all of our lights on.

"If there is an emergency storm this is the team that is out there, during bad weather, in the middle of the night fixing our power grid," Vice President of College Advancement and External Communications for MATC Laura Bray said.

These workers install, maintain and repair powerlines.

"Anyone with power on your cell phone, who is powering their laptop, really powering your life, these are the men and women who do it. It's incredibly important. It's difficult. It can be dangerous," We Energies Spokesperson Brendan Conway said.

These jobs are also in high demand. MATC currently trains people in the trade at its Mequon Campus.

"For this particular program, we've had a waiting list. So, we have less spots than we have interest in the program," Bray said.

To increase its reach, MATC is expanding its Electrical Power Distribution (EPD) and Line Mechanic technical diploma into Milwaukee. Starting in August, the college will have a new facility in the Metcalfe Park Neighborhood that offers another session of the program.

The expansion combines land owned by We Energies and the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee. We Energies will dedicate a portion of its Metro North facility located at approximately North 31st -32nd streets and West North Avenue. We Energies is donating yard space, a classroom instruction trailer and a small pole yard for field instruction.

"It's a little bit more compact, but all the things that you see here [in Mequon], both in and outside, will be there for people to learn," Bray explained.

The year-long program is 30 credits and runs Monday through Thursday. The training is all hands-on and involves equipment students will use once they graduate.

Learning at MATC set lineworker Tim Jesse up for success.

"It's different, and not everybody can say their office is 200 feet in the air, and that's where I'm at most days," Jesse said.

Jesse tells CBS 58 his job is not easy, but it is very fulfilling.

"You get to see exactly what you built. You go drive down the highway and say, 'Hey, I helped build that,'" he said.

Students participating in MATC’s EPD/Line Mechanic program may be eligible for the college’s first-ever full-ride scholarship program. The Ellen and Joe Checota MATC Scholarship Program allows students to accelerate their careers by providing short-term technical diplomas and certificate programs. The MATC Promise for New High School Graduates and the MATC Promise for Adults will also be presented as offering free tuition for eligible students. The deadline to apply is Aug. 4.

For more information, visit www.matc.edu or stop by the college's open house from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday in Building C.