Duke grant expands tech school line worker programs.

The S.C. Technical College System Foundation is boosting training opportunities for utility line workers using the last of a $1 million Duke Energy grant.

According to a news release, the state's utility industry recently cited a demand for 500 every year for the next five years as the field evolves and thousands of line workers move into retirement.

"The utility industry is changing at a rapid pace, and we must increase the talent pipeline for line workers here in South Carolina today to keep up," Mike Callahan, S.C. president for Duke Energy said in the release. "Investing in programs that recruit and train this valuable workforce will reap benefits for the industry both immediately and in the years to come."

S.C. Technical College's Lineworker Grant Program has moved in help bridge this gap in the work force over the past years through grants in 2018 to Horry-Georgetown Technical College, Tri-County Technical College and York Technical College with additional funding in 2020.

"These funds have served to significantly expand our offerings and provide skilled workers to the utility industry," Tim Hardee, SC Technical College System president, said in the release. "Partnerships like the one we have with Duke Energy provide the foundation of our mission. Our goal is to ensure business and industry have the talent pipeline they need to be successful today and in the future."

Through the additional funding, Horry-Georgetown Technical College has double their enrollment, enhanced their curriculum and added equipment ranging from pole top rescue gear to live line tooling to their program.

"This grant has allowed us to increase opportunities for students and align curriculum with workforce needs to address the shortage of essential, trained lineworkers," Dr. Jennifer Wilbanks, executive vice president for academics at Horry-Georgetown Technical College said in the release...