Fifty-five students will be strapping on climbing spikes, safety belts and hard hats as they compete in various lineman tasks in this year's College Lineman Rodeo this Friday at Alpena Community College. The day-long event challenges students' accuracy, swiftness and knowledge on repairing utility lines and poles.
The ACC Utility Technology Lead Instructor, Roy Smith, says that the lineman rodeo is an opportunity to highlight students before they join the workforce and the college’s line worker program.
“It is a chance for us to celebrate these students who have been in college for a year, maybe two years now, as they earn either their certificates or associate degrees in and head out to get jobs,” Smith said. “Alpena has had a 35-year history of the line worker program here at the college, and we've put over 1,500 linemen that are out and working within the industry.”
Students will compete in three different events
- Cross Arm Change Out – on 40’ Pole
- Obstacle Clim
- Framing a C-1 Structure (Ground)
They will also take a lineman knowledge test, which is a timed multiple-choice test
Smith says that there are several schools from across the country that will compete in the rodeo.
“Typically, we have schools from Missouri and Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Michigan, all competing against each other,” Smith said. “We usually travel to a different site or different host school each year.”
These events come shortly after northern Michigan endured a devastating ice storm that left residents without power for weeks and destroyed thousands of utility poles.
Smith said that many of the judges for the rodeo were on the frontlines, repairing the grid during the storm.
“I would think for the guys that have been out there working so hard for the last few weeks to restore power to everybody, to maybe take a little breather and get a chance to celebrate the new group of young men and women that will be joining them shortly,” Smith said.
The rodeo takes place at Van Lare Hall on ACC’s campus. The competition will begin at 9 a.m.
