Student Lineman: NLC Week 3

Another week has come and gone! Time is simply flying by at an amazing rate. The week started off great. Monday morning I got the test results from the previous week. I got 100% on both exams so that is a great way to kick off the academic portion of school. It also meant that I received a couple stickers for my bare helmet. We also began the second chapters of the Linework Fundamentals and Electrical Systems books. In the field we were in the distribution pit and we began getting level 1 competencies signed off. I got the adjusting the Bucksqueeze competency on the first try, I can’t say the same for circling the pole. I thought I was locking my knee out when I was going around but the instructor saw something else so needless to say I got to practice a bit more. I got signed off by lunch and Spence said “It looked a hundred times better” so having to redo that competency really paid off for me. Especially considering that one day I will not have a journeyman focusing just on what I am doing, so I need to have all the techniques down. My crew also won our first skill builder competition…Another sticker!!! Tuesday was more class in the morning learning about the transmission and sub-transmission portion of the electrical system, as well as, rigging and calculating the weight of poles and crossarms. In the field we were in the distribution pit getting signed off on more level 1 competencies. We had to make up a handline and rig items to a handline to send up the pole. My handline was the best of the day….No, really the instructor actually took out his phone and took a picture of me and my BEAUTIFUL handline. Then, he set it aside to use as an example. Rigging went well, I had to rig, hoist and call out commands for a shotgun (insulated tool), bolt, insulator and an 8’ crossarm…It went great and my crew won a second skills builder competition. Wednesday was more class then off to the underground area to do the last of the level 1 competencies for the week. I got signed off on landing wires to a main service panel and making connections in a junction box in the ground. It was fun. Thursday began with our second set of exams then both classes (Edison & Tesla) gathered to hear a couple of guys campaign for class president. Then after a vet meeting (the VA is really messing the vets over right now) we were in the field for “county fair” it was a great time rotating through the stations. We had a competition to install a crossarm…My team won! Then at the end of the day, another vet meeting this time with the NLC Director of Operations…That was fun.