AT&S Conference

The AT&S Conference will be held Jan. 11-13, 2023
at the Bismarck Hotel and Conference Center.

NDAREC hosts 58th Annual Apprenticeship Training and Safety Conference

The North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) is proud to announce the graduation of 13 lineworkers from its apprenticeship program. Over the last 60 years, more than 725 people have completed the program. To graduate, apprentices must complete 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and more than 400 hours of study.

“On behalf of NDAREC, I’d like to congratulate this year’s graduates,” says NDAREC Safety and Services Director Christy Roemmich. “It is critical for North Dakota’s electric cooperatives to plan for the future and train our workforce. Apprenticeship is an important part of that plan. Our apprentices recognize the value of paid on-the-job training coupled with a robust educational component that helps build generational greatness in our industry.”

On Jan. 13, NDAREC hosted a graduation ceremony to formally recognize the following lineworkers, who completed the apprenticeship program in 2021:

  • Tristen Schwartz, Capital Electric Cooperative
  • Dillon Steinolfson, KEM Electric Cooperative
  • Tyler Schummer, KEM Electric Cooperative
  • CJ Pesicka, Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative
  • Tanner Holte, Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative
  • Tucker Lien, Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative 
  • Matt Meland, Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative 
  • Mitchell Quist, Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative
  • Trent Edens, Nodak Electric Cooperative
  • Brock Janikowski, Nodak Electric Cooperative
  • Jesse Sturman, Nodak Electric Cooperative
  • Carter Scanson, Verendrye Electric Cooperative
  • Brett Silkey, 3 C Construction

Carter Scanson, Verendrye Electric Cooperative, received this year's Outstanding Apprentice Award, which is sponsored by the North Dakota Managers Association. Scanson was the highest-ranking apprentice in both related studies and on-the-job performance.

NDAREC presented graduates with a certificate during an awards ceremony held in conjunction with the Apprenticeship, Training and Safety (AT&S) Conference on Jan. 13.

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MANDAN, N.D.­­ — The North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) is proud to recognize three individuals, 10 North Dakota electric cooperatives and one contractor for safety achievements in 2021. Safety is a top priority in the electric utility industry, and NDAREC applauds its members on their accomplishments.

On Jan. 13, NDAREC held an awards ceremony and presented the following awards:

  • The Life Saver Award recognizes heroic actions that contribute to life saving efforts of another person. This year, NDAREC is proud to present the award to Randy McLean and Talon Thompson, North Central Electric Cooperative.  
     

  • The Stepping Up for Safety Award recognizes an outstanding safety advocate who inspires all employees to commit to safe job performance and who has greatly influenced their cooperative’s safety culture. The recipient of this year’s award is Bill Hansen, McKenzie Electric Cooperative.
     

  • The Certificate of Safety Achievement recognizes successful participants of the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program (RESAP), a national safety program that encourages electric cooperatives to achieve and maintain high safety standards for the protection of employees and the community. NDAREC presented the following cooperatives with this certificate:

    • Cavalier Rural Electric Cooperative

    • Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative

    • Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative

    • Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative

    • Northern Plains Electric Cooperative

    • Minnkota Power Cooperative
       

  • The Safety Performance Award is presented to cooperatives with zero recordable injuries for one year. Cooperatives and contractors that achieved this safety initiative between Dec. 1, 2020, and Nov. 30, 2021, are:

    • Cavalier Rural Electric Cooperative

    • Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative

    • McLean Electric Cooperative

    • Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative

    • Verendrye Electric Cooperative

    • 3 C Construction
       

  • The Outstanding Safety Performance Award is presented to cooperatives that did not have a lost-time case accident for five consecutive years. Cooperatives and contractors that achieved this safety initiative between Dec. 1, 2017, and Nov. 30, 2021, are:

    • Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative

    • Slope Electric Cooperative

    • 3 C Construction
       

  • The Circle of Honor Award recognizes outstanding performance in preventing vehicle accidents. To achieve this award, a cooperative must not have a vehicle accident for five consecutive years. NDAREC presented this award to the following cooperatives and contractors:

    • Slope Electric Cooperative

    • 3 C Construction

Through its safety awards and recognition program, NDAREC has recognized outstanding safety performance for 59 years.