Fifteen students completed Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s (GNTC) Electrical Lineworker program on Wednesday, July 15, during a graduation ceremony held at the college’s Polk County Campus in Rockmart.
The graduates successfully completed the program’s intensive 10-week training course, which prepares students for careers in the electrical utility industry through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on experience.
Training included the use of donated industry equipment, including utility trucks, power poles and climbing gear, allowing students to develop practical skills under the guidance of GNTC instructors.
In addition to completing the program, graduates earned four credentials: a Certificate of Completion in Electrical Lineworker, a restricted Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), OSHA 10-Hour General Industry certification and an overall certificate verifying the completion of 395 training hours. The program is offered through GNTC’s Office of Economic Development.
Graduates of the July 15 cohort are:
- Sam Crump, LaFayette
- Carlos Cruz, Dalton
- Josh Faires, Cedartown
- Joshua Blake Fennell, Piedmont, Alabama
- Brandon A. Hurtado, Dalton
- Branson Ingram, Cedartown
- Omar Mendiola, Dalton
- Jose Ojeda, Dalton
- Jason Ortiz-Ramos, Dalton
- Caden Oswalt, Rome
- Angel Paredez, Calhoun
- Mark Ravenscraft, Marietta
- Alex Rodriguez, Dalton
- Luke Watkins, Rydal
- Caleb Wingard, Jenkinsburg
GNTC officials said the program is designed to equip students with the technical knowledge, safety training and certifications needed to enter the workforce as electrical lineworkers, a field that continues to see strong demand for skilled professionals.
The next Electrical Lineworker cohort is scheduled to begin Aug. 31, though registration for that session has already closed. Prospective students still have an opportunity to enroll in the following cohort, which begins Jan. 4, 2027, with seats currently available.