Southeast Lineman Training Center, founded in 1999, is a vocational school offering training programs for people wanting to enter the linework industry. They offer two different programs, the and the that are offered multiple times each year. The ELP is a 15-week training program for individuals desiring to become electrical lineworkers and the CLP is a 7-week program for those wishing to enter the telecommunications field. SLTC is located in Trenton, Georgia approximately south of Chattanooga, Tennessee. SLTC currently administers training to nearly 600 students per year in its Electrical Lineworker Program and is one of the largest lineworker training schools in the United States.
History
Southeast Lineman Training Center was conceived in 1999 when George Nelson, an entrepreneur from Florida, was approached about the need for quality trained apprentice lineworkers in the electric utility industry. So, like any visionary that sees a need, he purchased and started putting the pieces together. SLTC's first class was delivered on February 1, 2000 to 15 students. Two other classes were delivered that year to 19 other individuals. During that time, SLTC's office was a trailer with one pole circle in the training yard. In 2002, SLTC added its first administration building, which contained an office, classrooms, and lab areas. This building is still on campus, but is now home to Super Chief, the company that produces the show "". Since those first few years, SLTC has expanded its footprint nearly every year. The first, and most significant expansion was the construction of their current corporate headquarters. This building is approximately and sits on the property of the main campus. Their next big expansion was purchasing an additional to allow the ELP to accommodate up to 220 students per class. This property is referred to as the extension campus and advanced underground lab area. Their most recent project has been the creation and development of SLTC Global. The SLTC Global campus allows them to conduct simulated and energized training for companies all over the world. They conduct training on site and have staff that travel to administer training abroad.
Timeline
1999 - Southeast Lineman Training Center. 2000 - February 1, 2000 first class was delivered to 13 students. 2002 - Electrical Lineworker Program training building was constructed. 2003 - Expansion of training yard to include transmission training. 2004 - Construction of administration building and classrooms. 2007 - Additional land purchased to increase training yard to. CDL training grounds were added. 2008 - Expansion of training yard to include substation training. 2012 - Purchase of to expand ELP training facilities. Construction of 6,000-square-foot building for classrooms and offices. 2011 - Expansion of training yard and increased enrollment to 140 students per term. 2014 - Additional land purchased bringing all campus' to approximately for new SLTC Global campus. School increases to 200 students per term. 2015 - Construction beings on new SLTC Global and Communications campus. 2016 - Communications Lineworker Program begins.
