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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Hardeeville, SC
    Posts
    133

    Default The Noob: The story of a wanna be

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    Hello everyone,

    My name is Dave and I am a student at the Southeast Lineman Training Center in Trenton, Ga. I thought I would share with you a few small and continuing snipets of my experiences here at SLTC and after I graduate ( pretty confident for the 3rd week huh? )

    A little information about me before I started at SLTC... I am currently 35 years old , and grew up in a small town in Florida called Vero Beach, graduated 619th out of 657, and went on from high school to work a number of jobs before spending 5 years in the resturant industry a few years in Lawn Maintenance and Landscaping and the last 7 years working for Comcast Cable ( initially TCI , then AT&T and finally Comcast over the 7 years ).

    My time at Comcast
    I often said that after I started they would have to burn me out of my job there... and in a matter of speaking they did. I had a 5 year goal of becoming a maintenance technician ( Tech that maintain the plant on the poles ), but managed to leap frog over that and ended up as a supervisor. Imagine my dismay when we were hit by Francis and Jeanne one month after my promotion and I learned that as a supervisor I recieved no overtime for working 14-18 hrs a day. After being in my desk for 6 months I realized I made a serious error and that while I might have been a decent supervisor I was a much better technician and prefered my time outdoors to time behind a desk. So I started making preperations to get back outside. In the process of this I soon discovered that while the Maint Techs make better money , they were grossly over worked wiht only 8 of them on 'on-call rotation' being called out all hours of the day and night to repair any outage or serious reception problem that may occur. The monies those techs were making didnt really seem worth the effort. Granted it was better than I was currently making , but the trade off of quality of life didnt seem worth it. I might add here that I often traded with other installer techs to work as back ups to the maint techs, but it didnt happen nearly as often as the regular maint techs.

    It was during my transition time behind the desk that I discovered the forums here at powerlineman. I also started talking to a few FPL guys that had had contact with and so I started looking into how to become a lineman. Rather than start at the end of a shovel or a meter, I wanted something to give me an extra edge, so that I could jump into an apprentice position. I have worked for too many companies previously that would promise promotions in X amount of time but never came through, so the idea of working for a company for a few years before getting to apprentice at my age didnt seem viable. It was then that I came across NLTC and SLTC websites and recieved course catalogs for both. I started making preperations, putting my house in Vero Beach on the market, and 'lightening my load' so to speak. So in September of 2006 when I closed on the sale of my house. I decided that perhaps Georgia might be a better location to be in January, which is the first sessions of class I would be available for.

    .....to be continued....
    Last edited by Doggboi; 01-18-2007 at 08:34 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Hardeeville, SC
    Posts
    133

    Default Pt II: Room and Board

    Since I was packing everything I owned in a 8x10 trailer from Home Depot, I didnt have much in the way of belongings, but I do have a 4 yo Yellow Lab , and the only places that the school had lined up for students was dbl occupancy 2 bedroom apartments. No Pets allowed. So I looked around and Trenton is a pretty small place, and not much going on , so I looked to Chattanooga which I suppose would be considered a decent sized city and was only 20 minutes away. I managed to find a single room apartment near the interstate for 425 a month ( better than my mortgage in Florida )

    I moved up a few days before Thanksgiving even though classes didnt start until the second of January. Too get a feel for the area, and maybe get a job. Nailed down a job in downtown 'Nooga at the TGI fridays , which works out because they were able to cut my schedule down to 2-3 days on the weekends so it wouldnt interfere with my schooling.

    January 2nd came and I showed up @ 7:30 am , to get an early start on things. Everyone was assembled in one of the 2 classrooms. 66 guys and we were missing a few from the Grand Bahama's that were having either travel issues , or union issues, we never did find out because they never showed up. We have 4 primary instructors, 1 director of training, 1 director of business and one AA on site at all times, and we got to meet them as they introduced themselves. After a brief introduction and just a little bit about the school , we were split up into two groups, those that havd been on site and been fitted for gear , and those that had not. I wa sin the former group and headed outside to pick up my equipment. This included brand new boots, Hard Hats, Safety Glasses and of course brand new Bashlin Gaffs and Pads, belts, safety straps and a bunch of small tools. After assembling our belts with tool pouch and nut bag ( yes I laughed too ), trying on our boots and making sure we had everything we headed back in side. Lunch was provided and many of us started meeting the guys we would become pole buddies, and friends with. After lunch it was time for those of us that had been issued tools to finish up our paperwork. 5 at a time we went down , saw the AA, and then the Dir of Business to pick up our books and so they were assured we had living accomodations and payment was either taken care of or enroute.

    After lunch we were grouped into our teams. 4 teams, 16-18 guys per team. I drew Thomas Kinard as my instructor, we met outside and he gave us a quick run down of what he would expect of us. THomas, looked a little back woods, and had a pretty deep Alabama accent that some of the guys had trouble with. But he spoke loud enough ( and he does it often ) so that you are at least to hear him even if you cant understand him. So as the day neared its end , we stowed our gear in our group ( or circle ) shed with the promise of pole time on the very next day.
    Last edited by Doggboi; 01-18-2007 at 12:41 PM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Hardeeville, SC
    Posts
    133

    Default Pt III: Spikes go in....

    On the third day of the first week we got a visit from the local Sheriff and Police Chief. They wanted to let all of our new pups know that thier first time away from home wasnt to be considered a spring break , and they shouldnt do anything they wouldnt normally do at home. They also wanted to remind everyone that while the legal age of consent in Georgia is 16, this are has historically been inhabited by moonshiners and hunters.. so even if the law wasnt to be feared, thier daddy's might want to be considered in the equation. However.. some of the females in town know our school schedule better than the instructors, and thats all I am going to say about that for the remainder of this ... thing. The instructors also went on to tell us more about the industry , and the school and each other. Then 3 o'clock came around, and it was time to head outside to the pole circles.

    First of all we had to suit up , gaffs, belts, straps, helmet, kevlar forarms, gloves and safety glasses. The instructors hadnt had time to get to know us too much to this point, so we were called, bubba, skeet, dickhead, dumbass to name a few things, but we were assured that we would all be given nicknames before the end of class ( as of this writing , I have been through 3 plus my real name which there is one other Dave in my circle ) We spend the remainder of this time learning to step onto the pole, and step off.. and then ... the day is over..

    The last day of the first week ( classes run mon - thur, but because of the new years it was a shortened week.. and how I would learn to hate those shortened weeks ) we spent the entire day in the circles. We climbed, set, strapped off, and learned how to reset unstrap and step down. By the end of the day each of us had a black stripe at approx 5ft. while it was only around eye level to me , I didnt realize at this time how difficult it would be to get my feet to work when they were at this mark as we started our second week of school , but the first true week of Pole Climbing.

    TBC
    Last edited by Doggboi; 01-18-2007 at 10:35 PM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Hardeeville, SC
    Posts
    133

    Default Pt IV: Havent I been here before?

    So as the 2nd week ( first week of climbing ) started , it started with up downs.. up to our mark , and back down , all together, and then each one at a time. This gave our instructor pleanty of time to critque our methods, insert comments, and generally get loud. I seemed to have a common issue , I wasnt locking my legs fully as I went up. Luckily for me I didnt combine this problem with another common problem of keeping ones waist too close to the pole.
    A few guys were slow to adapt to the height of 5ft at the feet. Having been on 28ft ladders as a 15ft daredevil, I was already used to the belt and strap. As the week progressed , we learned to trust our gear.. some of us needed a little encouragement which was in endless supply, if you didnt feel comfortable , the instructor would climb the pole and give you a hug and let you know it was all okay and you would be fine... He would even place his strap over yoursm and let his weight hang on your strap alone.. again to ensure you knew it would hold not only you , but him , as long as your legs were locked.
    We learned that you could actually move that strap around the pole without touching the strap or the pole. Actually, we learned very quickly and with some pain that touching the pole at any time other than strap on and strap off.. was NOT a good idea and rather bad form.
    Leaning back in our belts we tossed a basketball from pole to pole.. unless the guy to the left or right of you was missing.. then you had to toss the ball around THAT pole to the guy on the other side of it.
    Also this week started our classroom activities.. Applied Mathmatics and Electrical Systems. Applied Mathmatics started out with whole numbers, and progressed through roots and powers. A calculator was supplied to each student , and the books showed you how to work each problem out in detail. On top of that the instructor made himself available after class or during lunches for those that didnt/couldnt grasp it right away. Mon Tues we covered new material , weds we went over the test and reviewed the subjects, and thursday we tested. Basically the same went for Electrical Systems... although this of course was more memorization of reading material and understanding some basic ideas.. Transmission,Sub Transmission, Distribution and Service. The idea of phase to phase and phase to neutral was introduced and a few relevant tales of the job were included.
    Seeing how i was living in Chattanooga, I soon found out i was one of very few that lived there, actually there was one other in class that lived there, a ling time resident Tyrus. This guy was the largest and darkest member of the class, soft spoken but rather intimidating. We exchanged numbers in case of vehicle failure, and also agreed to get together to study on Weds nights. I would soon find out this really was a good idea, as it helped us both out tremendously.

    As the end of this week came to an end, we actually placed our feet at the 15ft mark , and when we qualified, it was required that we go up , and rotate around the pole and come back down. There might have been more, but because of my current slacking posting here, I may have forgot it.. but last weeks qualification is still well engraved in my head.. and you will see that in the next post. After going up to the 15 ft mark ( and yes it was a tough climb ) the qualification seemed like a breeze. As a side note.. I aced both of my tests and T missed 1 on each.

  5. #5
    creepingcharlie Guest

    Default

    Don't mean to interrupt but this dose help us, the ones that are looking to go to a lineman college. Keep it coming as I plan on attending NLC here in CA. I am sure they do things a little diff but it is all the same thing they are teaching. Good luck and thanks.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Hardeeville, SC
    Posts
    133

    Default

    The 2 schools are very closely related, our manuals have the NLC logo on them, although I wouldnt be able to vouch for the teachers there, if the directors there put forth the same intrest in putting out quality lineman then it should be very similar.

    One thing to note, that it was mentioned breifly by some instructors, that while 'sliding through' may be acceptible in colleges and public schools, because this is a private institution , they dont 'HAVE' to pass you , and sliding through isnt permitted as sliders would not give the school or the students that work hard a good reputation.

    Also a side bar to the last post I made.. We lost one student that week to a pre-existing back injury. And also one that slid the pole on thursday did not return on monday siting his girlfriend was having a hysterectomy. He never did return. I could be critical and comical here saying she had the wrong pussy operated on or it was an ironic choice of excuses... but I will leave that to the reader to alter/edit as they see fit.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Hardeeville, SC
    Posts
    133

    Default Pt V: Looking up

    Towards the end of last weeks activities and into the 2nd week of climbing, it was made clear to us , that along with the severe no-no of holding the pole after straping on, looking at your feet while climbing would no longer be permitted. Focus on hand foot movements were also looked at closer to ensure there was always a 3 point contact and also that you were moving properly up the pole. This was to be a shortened week because of Martin Luther King day.

    Things moved very quickly this week , as we started our Rigging Class and continued in our Electrical systems class as well. As the instructors attempted to fill our heads with 2 days worth of information in 1 day so that we could properly review on weds and test on thursday, it became evident to me very quickly that this was going to be a tough week in the class room.

    Little did I know how much tougher it was going to be outside. Having spent the previous long weekend back in Florida I had enjoyed 3 days of Shorts, Tshirts and Flip Flops, I was greeted on tuesday morning with frost in Trenton, luckily for me a new set of Carhartt insulated bib overalls kept me good and toasty. Being new to the cold I was slow in purchasing them , but now I believe it was truely a good investment.
    Up the Pole we went, a few times on tuesday, then a rope came out, it was tied around the pole circle and tightened so it was guitar string tight. We then raised it to the five foot level and we learned how to manuver UNDER, step up to and cross, and also to climb straight up the pole and step above the line. This worked out well and having previously been to the 15 ft height the week before, manuvering at the 5ft height seemed like a cake walk. This didnt last though. Because of the shortened week, things were accelerated and after only a few tries down low to get our technique down , we raised the line to the 15ft level so we could start working at that height on weds.
    Weds morning came, and we learned the square knot to add to our previous weeks knot the bowline. We were tested on these knots in front of and behind our backs. Some of the guys are just plain lightening quick, I however fall in the middle of the pack. Then.. you guessed it.. back up the pole. We are taught how to 'candy cane' the poles as we have started to wear one side of our untreated poles out. We get to spend limited time practicing around the line as the instructor works harder with those struggling with the basics of climbing. On this day one of our guys takes a 10ft slide. His shirt is unripped, and from where I was it looked like he had red belly, but after class we got to see the damage as it looked like a cat had taken to him. No splinters though. Tyrus and I again studied and I felt confident on my knowledge of our material.
    Thursday came and it was Test and Qualification day... I missed one question on each test, which although is respectable, wasnt where my goal was.. then it was outside.. I didnt feel comfortable at all working at our new height , and having to qualify around the line wasnt going to be easy for me. But in an effort to get it done, I scambled up the pole...Did my under line swings... got in working position and tied my bowline around the line.. pivoted around the other way , tied the square knot around the line, climbed up, and steped over the line, pivotoing around, and again stepping over the pole , repeating this in the opposite direction. resetting, I climbed above the line, and then to the ground. I did it so fast I was winded and actually had to rest for a moment before unstrapping to come down. I passed , but I had failed to lock my knees completely on my climb up and my climb down.
    Thursday ended with the entire circle making thier way to the top. Not only were we asked to get to a point where we could touch the top, we took our hard hats off and banged them against the pole to announce our victory. Our instructor has shown a theme which we now find inspiring.. we will not be the last pole cirlce to do anything. and thats all he needs to say.. 'You dont want to be last boys'. We are all sore, and are promised the next week will bring a better time, anyone that is struggling is advised to lock it up, and hang tight, if they can make it past the next week , it will not only become easier.. it will become fun....

    I looked forward to 3 days of resting my tired muscles, I wasnt sure if they were tired more from the climbing, or the fear that caused them to clench.

  8. #8
    the youngster Guest

    Default the youngster

    hey dave my name is matt and i have been reading your posts and i am writing to you with hopes that you might possibly be able to give me some information about the school. i am markwho's son and i will be attending SLTC school next september. i was wondering if there where any younger guys down there like right out of highchool because i will be only eighteen for a couple of weeks when i leave i was jsut curious to know how many my age mgiht be there. also i was wondering about the boot height because i did not order mine yet and i was curious as to wether i should get the 14inch or the 16inch. please write back. thank you
    matt

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Hardeeville, SC
    Posts
    133

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by the youngster View Post
    hey dave my name is matt and i have been reading your posts and i am writing to you with hopes that you might possibly be able to give me some information about the school. i am markwho's son and i will be attending SLTC school next september. i was wondering if there where any younger guys down there like right out of highchool because i will be only eighteen for a couple of weeks when i leave i was jsut curious to know how many my age mgiht be there. also i was wondering about the boot height because i did not order mine yet and i was curious as to wether i should get the 14inch or the 16inch. please write back. thank you
    matt
    Hey Matt, We do have a number of guys straight out of high school around your age, and a larger number that are 19-20. Maybe 1/3 of the class makes up the range between 18-20. I woiuldnt worry about the boots selection yet until you talk to the school. I got my boots directly through them and was fitted when I did my initial tour and paid my deposit.

  10. #10
    the youngster Guest

    Default thank you

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    thank you for the information if you have anymore that you think would be interesting i would be glad to hear about it.
    matt

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