Wichita lineman program to be offered at NCAT

After Pratt Community College started a partnership with Wichita Area Technical College through nursing, the partnership is continuing to grow, with the Electrical Power Lineman Program in Wichita moving their classes to WATC facilities next fall.
 
The program has always had two sites in Wichita, one where class work was done and one where they went to train, Westar’s Ripley Training Center, 4400 North Seneca. They will continue to train at Ripley but classwork will be done at the National Center for Aviation Training, 4004 N. Webb Rd.
 
"With our partnership through nursing, WATC knows our school," said Joe Varrientos, Dean of Technical Instruction. "This will allow students to get answers to their questions faster, or at least know who they need to go to."
 
The classes will still be taught through an ITV system, which will allow teachers at PCC to teach the students at both the Wichita and Pratt site at the same time.
 
The lineman program gives students the opportunity to become certified lineman in one year in Wichita. The year-long certification program offers nine months of formal training and a three month internship. While in the program, students climb daily, get exposure to underground installation, go to hotline school, learn about electrical theory and safety, receive trencher and backhoe training and learn basic line construction, just like the students on PCC’s campus.