Electrical Power Distribution Program Code 314132

Employment Potential

A graduate of the program will have the potential for employment as a Line Technician, Lead Line Technician, Line Technician Supervisor, Cable TV Line Technician, Telephone Line Technician, Technician in an Electricity Generating Plant, or Installer/Maintainer of Underground Systems. Graduates in those jobs will perform construction, operations, and maintenance work on the electric power system and equipment.

With additional education and/or work experience, graduates may find other opportunities for employment.

. Line Coordinator
. Line Apprentice
. Safety Advisor
. Distribution Construction Designer
. Distribution Dispatcher
. Substation Electrician

Note

. Students who have completed the Electrical Power Distribution technical diploma program have the opportunity to fulfill the requirements for a Utility Management certificate and/or apply these credits toward a Leadership Development and/or an Individualized Technical Studies associate degree.
. Willingness to relocate may be an advantage for job opportunities.
. A clean driving record is required to obtain a CDL license.

Program Outcomes

. Assist in the construction of electric transmission systems.
. Opportunity to secure a (CDL) commercial driver's license.
. Relate electrical theory to electric power systems.
. Work comfortably at heights.
. Climb poles and towers.
. Be knowledgeable in personal protective equipment to safely perform specific work.
. Identify sub-station components.
. Install underground electric systems.
. Operate electrical power distribution equipment.
. Troubleshoot power distribution and transmission systems.
. Communicate technical information.
. Assist in the construction of power distribution systems.
. Identify methods of electrical generation.

Requirements for Program Entry

. Completed application.
. High school transcript or equivalent. (For a list of equivalents, go to www.nwtc.edu/gettingstarted.)
. Be able to obtain a commercial driver’s license.
. Place satisfactorily in the NWTC mathematics examination. Students should have mastered basic math skills. For a description of Basic Math, see the Basic Education section of catalog.
. As a requirement for program entry, an Academic Skills Assessment (Accuplacer) with appropriate benchmark scores is necessary. Program Benchmarks are Arithmetic, 65; Reading Comprehension, 55; Sentence Skills, 60. Students not meeting these benchmarks or the equivalent will be granted pre-program status and will be required to establish an individualized academic plan. Upon completion of the plan, full program status will be granted. Students may have the opportunity to enroll in selected program core courses while completing their individualized plan. However, higher test scores will lead to greater success in core program courses. To learn more about these assessments and program benchmark scores, please contact a counselor at (920) 498-5444 or (888) 385-6982.

Curriculum

The Electrical Power Distribution Technical Diploma is a one-year, three-semester program. This program starts in June. Upon graduation, a student will have completed 32 credits.

FIRST SEMESTER

SECOND SEMESTER

THIRD SEMESTER

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

These courses provide an opportunity for students to develop the knowledge, skills, and understanding required for employment in this field.

31-413-330 LINE ELECTRICIAN FIELD TRAINING 1 ...pole climbing, care of equipment/vehicle operation, setting and removing poles/line layout, pole framing, guys and anchors, conductor string, sagging, tying/transformers, operation, application, construction/safety.

31-413-332 LINE ELECTRICIAN FIELD TRAINING 3 ...protective grounds, transmission, substation operations and maintenance, metering tools, transmission hot stick use and safety, and stray voltage precautions, street lighting, and use of tree trimming methods and tools. (Prerequisite: 31-413-337, Line Electrician Field Training 2-B)

31-413-335 LINE ELECTRICIAN-CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS ...distribution standards for overhead, underground, primary, secondary, clearances, work practices, material and safe work practices.

31-413-336 LINE ELECTRICIAN FIELD TRAINING 2-A ...transformer installation, underground installation and equipment, operation and maintenance; protective equipment use; map/diagram reading, code clearance requirements. (Prerequisite: 31-413-330, Line Electrician Field Training 1)

31-413-337 LINE ELECTRICIAN FIELD TRAINING 2-B ...operation, maintenance; regular, capacitor and OCR operation and maintenance, and pole top and buck truck rescue techniques. (Corequisite: 31-413-336, Line Electrician Field Training 2-A)

31-413-353 ELECTRICITY-BASIC ...basic electricity: fundamental laws and circuit analysis. (Prerequisites: Accepted into Electrical Power Distribution)

31-413-355 ELECTRICITY-LINEPERSONS ...electric power/energy, three-phase voltage generation, three-phase circuit power, transformer operation principles, transformer connections, and safety practices in high voltage applications. (Prerequisite: 31-413-353, Electricity-Basic)

31-413-361 LINEMAN-SAFETY/FIRST AID ...first aid procedures, CPR, safety code analysis, recordkeeping, safety on the job, safety/accident analysis. (Prerequisite: Accepted into Electrical Power Distribution)

31-413-362 LINE ELECTRICIAN-SAFETY 1 ...general rules, definitions, applications, responsibility, reporting accidents, injuries, hand and power tools, ladders, scaffolds, handling materials, operation of company equipment. (Prerequisite: Accepted into Electrical Power Distribution; Corequisite: 31-804-312, Math-Algebra Trades)

31-413-364 LINE ELECTRICIAN-SAFETY 2 ...code and working clearances for electrical, line clearing, right-of-way maintenance, protective equipment, underground systems, and substations. (Prerequisite: 31-413-362, Line Electrician-Safety 1)

31-804-312 MATH-ALGEBRA/TRADES ...signed numbers, order of operations, scientific notation, metric units/measurement, calculator operations, algebra, introductory trigonometry, Pythagorean theorem, solving right triangles. (Prerequisite: Accuplacer-Arithmetic=65 OR ACT-Math=15 OR 10-834-109, PreAlgebra OR 77-854-759, BE Math Prep IIB with "C" or better OR equivalent) 1 cr.

10-103-121 MICRO: WORD-INTRODUCTION ...word processing basics including creating, revising, formatting, printing; sections, tabs, multiple-page numbering; manipulating text; creating headers/footers; creating/formatting tables, graphics; and merging documents. Windows experience improves success; consider 10-103-111, Windows/Computer Basics. 1 cr.

31-801-385 COMMUNICATING-WRITING ...writing techniques, memos, letters, descriptions, instructions, and the job-seeking process. (Prerequisite: Accuplacer-Sentence Skills =60 AND Accuplacer-Reading =55 OR ACT-English =16 AND ACT Reading =15 OR 77-851-759, BE Communication Prep IIB with "C" or better OR equivalent) 1 cr.

10-103-131 MICRO: EXCEL-INTRODUCTION ...creating a worksheet, enhancing worksheet appearance, moving and copying data, using formulas and functions, creating charts and using clip art. Windows experience improves success; consider 10-103-111, Windows/Computer Basics. 1 cr.

31-801-386 COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY ...interpersonal communication, including the function of interpersonal communication, listening techniques, perception, non-verbal communication, language, self-concept, conflict resolution and customer service. (Prerequisite: Accuplacer-Sentence Skills =60 AND Accuplacer-Reading =55 OR ACT-English =16 AND ACT Reading =15 OR 77-851-759, BE Communication Prep IIB with "C" or better OR equivalent) 1 cr.