Last month, four Tipmont linemen graduated from the Rural Electric Apprenticeship Program, or REAP — a four-year program that professionally trains apprentice lineworkers from across Indiana.

Dalton Hilligoss, Tristen Hoffman, Dustin Manns, and Jason Phillips all completed the program, which includes 612 hours of classroom study and 8,000 hours of on-the-job training.

“Dedicated, hard-working guys like Dalton, Tristen, Dustin, and Jason are the type of people we’re proud to have representing Tipmont,” says Ron Holcomb, Tipmont President and CEO. “They strengthen our system with infrastructure improvements in the field and assist people in the event of a service outage. I’m proud of their achievements in the REAP program and of all the work our line crews do on behalf of our co-op members.”

Hilligoss says the REAP program was a lot of work, with its combination of coursework and on-the-job experience, but well worth it.

“You form a pretty tight bond with these guys over four years, watching them grow and watching yourself grow within this career to get better,” Hilligoss says. “You’re talking about different ways to do things and establishing friendships through it all.”

“REAP offers a lot of knowledge and training to help us succeed as lineworkers,” Phillips adds. “A lot of guys who have done this for 10 to 20 years are instructors, and they help us make work safer but also easier and more efficient in some instances.”

Upon completing the program, Hilligoss, Hoffman, Manns, and Phillips each earned an Associate of Applied Science degree through Ivy Tech Community College and a journeyman lineman certificate.

With their journeyman lineman designations, these four linemen can now function in more of a leadership position for classes of apprentice linemen working alongside them.

“Having gone through it myself, I can maybe help them get through their own four years a bit easier,” Phillips says.

“It doesn’t matter what field of work you’re in, you need leadership when you’re starting out,” Hilligoss says. “This gives me the opportunity to pass along what I’ve learned and help the next generation coming in below me.”

Along with 22 other Indiana lineworkers, Hilligoss, Hoffman, Manns, and Phillips celebrated their completion of the program at a graduation banquet last month.

Join us in congratulating them on their accomplishments!