Casey Swaim is thankful for the Lineman Program offered at nearby Odessa College that prepares workers for a place in his world.
As a superintendent at Star Electrical in West Texas, Swaim is in charge of interviewing candidates for the job of electrical lineman, with many of the applicants now receiving their training at Odessa.
"Us and other contractors, that is one of the hardest things we do run into is having qualified people and personnel,” Swaim told NewsWest9. “There's very few lineman schools across the nation, but having one here locally helps us tremendously because we have such a need in the oil field."
Swaim admits the job of scaling power lines to repair them can be challenging, even dangerous at times, but quickly adds that the work is fulfilling.
"It's a great job, a great profession,” he added. “You want to teach the young guys the right way to do things and give them the tools they need to do it the right way."
That’s where Odessa comes in.
"It is nice having the school not even two miles from our office," Swaim said of the 16-week program that teaches students the basic skillsets needed to launch their careers.
"Guys come in with a little more experience, climbing ability, and they understand what the material looks like," he said.
In time, Swaim hopes programs like the one offered at Odessa will be enough to keep the industry and the Permian Basin stocked with qualified workers.
Those interested in learning more about the program can register for the next certification course that begins on Jan. 10, 2022 by calling 432-335-6580 or visiting Odessa College's site.