High school students attend Dominion Energy job training for line workers and electricians

Dominion Energy is looking to recruit high school students to work in the energy industry after graduation. 

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – Dominion Energy is looking to recruit high school students to work in the energy industry after graduation.  The company invited students from Fairfield, Lexington, Orangeburg, and Richland counties to get a real-life look at the training and career opportunities available.

Around 60 high school students participated in the training and among them, K’san Smith, who says his guidance counselor encouraged him to attend the event. 

“I had a good conversation with her and she recommended me to come on this field trip to learn more about what I wanted to do because I graduate in two months,” says Smith.

The students received training from some of Dominion Energy’s backbone employees including lineman and electricians.

“They will see lineman restoring and lifting up a line, putting it back in service, and getting a neighborhood back on. They will see the gas employees that are actually tapping a gas main to run a service into someone’s house,” says Dominion Energy S.C. President Keller Kissam. 

Before the trainings began, students were told the dangers of the job and how important it is to be careful.

“Safety is a big thing because we have to make it home. Everybody has a family so that’s the first step – safety,” says Smith. 

“Our biggest challenge is to find young people that want to come to work and be available 24/7, twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week, because that’s what it requires to work here at this company,“ says Kissam. 

Smith says he is looking forward to an opportunity with Dominion and it’s not about making money. “The money is going to come regardless – it’s really just about finding something that you want to do in life that you actually enjoy doing and I think the money will just come eventually.’