In June, Versalift and TRL Rents announced that they are donating four pieces of new equipment to the State Technical College of Missouri for the upcoming school year. State Tech, the flagship school in PCCA's workforce development efforts, will use the equipment in its Utility Systems Technician and Electrical Distribution Systems programs.
Denny Nelson, Versalift Director of Sales - U.S. & Canada, said the plan is to deliver the equipment to State Tech, along with operational training for the instructors, in August. Versalift and TRL Rents are donating:
* Versalift VN-555 55-foot Material Handling Aerial
* Versalift TMD-2047 Digger Derrick
* Versalift VTP-40 Heavy Duty Cable Placer
* Versalift STP-36 Light Duty Cable/Fiber Placer
"The donation of this brand-new equipment is a great way for Versalift to support the power and communications contractor market and to invest in the future of that industry," Nelson said. "As the son of a lineman, I know that high-quality equipment training is essential to the success of any contractor’s business and to the safety of its employees."
State Tech's Utility Systems Technician program (www.statetechmo.edu/programs/industrialtech/ust) prepares students with the skills required for careers with a variety of utility contractors and public utilities. Students learn underground and overhead construction skills and how to install and maintain various utility systems, including fiber optic and copper communication, natural gas distribution, water, wastewater, and oil pipeline transmission.
The Electrical Distribution Systems program (www.statetechmo.edu/programs/industrialtech/eds) equips students with the knowledge and technical skills needed to harness and maintain electricity. They learn how to safely climb utility poles, build and maintain electrical distribution systems, preform pole top rescues, and safe work practices.
“We are doing exciting things here at State Tech, and we are thrilled to have an outstanding company like Versalift choose to partner with us," State Tech President Shawn Strong said. "Without partnerships between education and industry, growing our utility-related programs just wouldn’t be possible. PCCA recognizes this and has been front and center bringing partners to the table. Each time a new partner makes a donation like Versalift’s, I’m reminded of how important what we are doing is to the industry. Donations like Versalift’s place pressure on us to deliver, and we absolutely love the challenge.
"I personally want to thank Denny Nelson and the entire Versalift and TRL Rents teams," Heath Sellenriek, Vice President, Sellenriek Construction, said. "Partnerships like this are exactly what’s needed to grow the skilled workforce that all of us contractors desperately need.”
Versalift and TRL Rents are making the donation through the PCCA Education & Research Foundation (www.pccaerf.org), a 501(c)(3) organization that works to promote and strengthen the power and communication construction industries, including its workforce development efforts.
Those efforts include PCCA's Who Will Do the Work? program, in which five institutions of higher education have been developing utility construction programs with the assistance of PCCA and its members. Earlier this year, PCCA and the Wireless Infrastructure Association received a $6 million grant from the Department of Labor to further design curricula and deliver training to develop qualified applicants for placement in middle- to high-skilled jobs nationwide.
"Getting news like this is one of the best parts of my job," PCCA President & CEO Tim Wagner said. "The camaraderie among PCCA members is so uplifting, and their concern for the industry is inspiring. Thank you to Versalift and TRL Rents for their generous donation and to Denny Nelson for putting all of this together."
Versalift provides the bucket trucks, aerial lifts, cable placers, and digger derricks that its customers need to safely maximize the capability and efficiency of their fleets and improve their bottom lines.
TRL Rents is committed to the highest quality of customer service. Its dedicated staff understands the importance of having the right equipment for the job, and they work to get their customers the equipment needed to get the job done. www.trlrents.com