A new program is offering members of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes the chance to try their hand at linework, tree trimming and other utility jobs, along with the opportunity to join Kalispell, Mont., Local 768.
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| The trainees work under the supervision of journeyman lineworkers, substation technicians and tree-trimming crews, keeping the ground clean, loading trucks, cutting and hauling brush, and fire-wrapping poles, among other duties.
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"It's a win-win opportunity for Mission Valley Power to evaluate them for employment and for the worker to learn and explore the industry," Local 768 Business Manager George Bland said.
The yearlong training project, run through the tribes' Department of Human Resources Development in concert with MVP, provides federal funding to train tribal members as groundmen while introducing them to careers as lineworkers, operators, substation technicians and tree trimmers.
Upon completing the program and being accepted into an apprenticeship as a full-time employee and union member, they will have the opportunity to join Local 768.
The pilot program, comprising eight participants, is aimed at achieving several goals that focus on the human potential and individual achievement of tribal members, MVP General Manager Zachary Conko Camel said.
The trainees, who started in July, work under the supervision of journeyman linemen, substation technicians and tree-trimming crews, keeping the ground clean, loading trucks, cutting and hauling brush, and fire-wrapping poles, among other duties. They also receive their commercial driver's licenses and learn "soft skills" like time management and communication.
"The goal is to be a well-trained individual capable of obtaining unsubsidized employment in the utility industry," said Conko Camel, who previously worked for the tribes.
Trainees also get an introduction to IBEW membership. As part of the program, the workers get a presentation on outside construction as an IBEW member, Local 768's referral system and book signing, and the benefits of working under a collective bargaining agreement. They also learn about the great wages, benefits and other opportunities that membership entails.
"We look forward to them signing our books and receiving credit for their time as groundmen," Bland said. "Thanks to the program, they'll know what kind of work they're getting into and hopefully stick around and advance their careers."
According to Conko Camel, the utility faces challenges due to its extensive service area, and this training program aims to prepare for MVP's future needs. Operated by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the utility is responsible for 1.2 million acres and more than 40,000 utility poles. Its workforce is almost entirely tribal members. The program is a great way to introduce a potential employee to the rigors of the job, as well as the perks.
"You always take a chance with apprentices, but with this program, you can see them for a year," Conko Camel said. "You can learn a lot about somebody in that amount of time."
Bland and Conko Camel said the trainees are enjoying the program and all that they're learning.
"Whenever I ask them how they're liking it and if they're learning a lot, I always get yeses," Conko Camel said. "They're doing stuff they've never done before, and they're excited about it."
Conko Camel credits the success of the program to the buy-in they've gotten from leadership, as well as the journeymen who are working with the trainees. And some of those trainees have already expressed an interest in becoming tradesmen.
"I've learned a lot from the journeymen, like chainsaw training and how it's important to stay safe on the job" said Micah Askan, a trainee who learned about the program from his grandfather, who works for MVP. "It's really impressive."
For Bland, this is Local 768's first time participating in such a program with tribes, but hopefully not the last.
"As long as the funding is available, we see this as an excellent opportunity for the next generation of tribal members," he said.