Sharing industry opportunities with students

Approximately 60 first- and second-year electrician/line school students at Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State) in Wadena recently learned about career opportunities available in their field during an event put on by Great River Energy.

Students heard from several cooperative employees representing different areas of the business, including human resources, field services, IT and transmission. The presentation included a section on safety in the industry, with a focus on substations as the students were able to tour the Wing River Substation in Verndale.

During the tour, students held conversations with leaders regarding roles their teams have with the substation equipment, which can include transformers, circuit breakers and direct current systems, including battery banks and battery chargers. They were able to see the impact these roles have in keeping the lights on at homes and businesses in the area.

“These outreach programs are critical to inform students about their options after graduation,” said Melissa Phillips, manager of field services at Great River Energy. “We want to reach them early so they are excited about the many opportunities in the electrical industry.”