From Ground To Greatness: Rookie Linemen Rise

The last time 18-year-old Meryk Slattery was suiting up in the summer heat was to play football for McKinney North High School, where he graduated from a month earlier. This summer he traded his football pads and cleats for steel hooks and a leather climbing belt as a CoServ Lineman.

“I was exploring trade options because I did not want to go to college. I went through welding, electrician, and HVAC,” said Meryk.  “I looked into all those and I got to lineman, and it didn’t even look like a job honestly, it looked like fun.”

Tim Canter worked for CoServ Gas for two years after retiring from the Marine Corps. But every time he drove by the training yard and saw linemen on the poles, it piqued his curiosity, so he applied for an open Ground Trainee (GT) position.

“It’s definitely a little intimidating thinking about being up on a pole for the first time,” he said. “It’s really awesome working for a company like this that allows me to grow in different ways and learn new things.”

Tyler Garret, transferred from CoServ’s Fleet Maintenance division after two years to become a lineman.

“I was jittery, I was nervous you know. I have never done anything like this in my life,” he said “[But] I was drawn to it.”

There is a nervous tension in the air for the three linemen as they try on their harnesses, climbing belts and gaffs for the first time.

“When you first strap a pair of hooks on, it’s not a natural feeling. It’s very different,” Luke Hawkins, Job Training and Safety Specialist, said. “Once they get the hang of it, it is a very rewarding experience. You feel like you’re accomplishing something,” he said, adding “That is goal one: learn how to do this safely and to get comfortable with it.”

CoServ is one of the few co-ops that offers a climbing school to start off a new lineman’s 5 1/2-year training program.

“We are very fortunate to do our own in-house training. Most companies will send their students off campus,” said Luke.

Throughout the two-week climbing school, the trainees practiced climbing up and down the pole to boost their confidence and endurance. They also changed out insulators, cross arms, and connected a service line to a transformer. Lastly, they learned how to conduct a timed hurt man rescue, which simulates a lineman that is incapacitated at the top of the pole.