By Andy Cagle
Richmond Community College
Due to increased demand, Richmond Community College (RCC) will be admitting new students into its popular Electric Utility Substation and Relay Technology (EUSRT) program for the spring 2015 semester. Traditionally, the introductory classes for the program had only been offered in the fall semester.
Submitted photo
Students now have the opportunity to begin the Electric Utility Substation and Relay Technology program during the spring semester. Registration for 2015 is currently underway at Richmond Community College.
“We have had so many students interested in the program that we wanted to create a constant admission process and didn’t want any students to miss out on getting started because they missed the fall semester,” said Amir Niczad, RCC’s Engineering Department chair. “By offering the first level EUSRT classes in the spring, we are creating a spring/summer sequence to complement the fall/spring sequence and serve more students in the program.”
The current school year is the fourth year of the EUSRT program at RCC. The two-year associates degree program prepares students for high-wage, high-demand careers in the electric utility transmission industry. Graduates have found employment with utility companies, primarily Duke Energy, with whom RCC partners to provide numerous internships for students, electric transmission contractors and electrical utility equipment manufacturers.
“Duke Energy has hired a number of our former students; many of whom were offered jobs during their internship, nearly a full year before they complete their degrees,” said Steve Lampley, the program’s lead instructor.
But Duke isn’t the only company with eyes for the EUSRT graduates. The program has attracted attention from major utility companies from Virginia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
“There is a very high demand in the industry for RCC EUSRT graduates,” said Lampley “In fact, in the last three weeks, we have had visits from three major out of state electric utility companies who are interested in RCC grads and have several more visits scheduled over the next few weeks.”
RCC has recently added new faculty to meet the demand of students for the program and is currently looking for another instructor to offer more classes.
Registration
Students interested enrolling in the Electric Utility Substation and Relay Technology program – or any of Richmond Community College’s 60-plus certificate, diploma or degree programs – can do so during registration on December 9, 2014 at the main campus in Hamlet. Call 910-410-1730 or visit online at www.richmondcc.edu to schedule a placement test or for more information.
About the EUSRT program
Started at Richmond Community College, this unique curriculum provides students the skills to maintain high voltage equipment and protective systems for the electric utility transmission system. Training in operation and maintenance of critical infrastructure associated with the electric transmission grid is included.
Courses will develop an understanding of maintenance and troubleshooting of transmission equipment. Courses include theory in three-phase power, protective relaying, power transformers, voltage regulators, capacitors and power circuit breakers. These skills apply to the electric utility industry and numerous other industries.
Graduates qualify for entry-level employment in the electric utility industry and industrial power facilities. Employment opportunities include: control systems, instrumentation and control in general industry, electric utility industry, green energy markets, or positions working with equipment related to power transmission.
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