There’s nothing like training on the same equipment you’ll be using in a real-life job. Students at Southside Virginia Community College Power Line Worker Training School will be able to do just that after the school recently received a digger derrick utility truck from Tidewater Energy Services, a subsidiary of Community Electric Cooperative.

“Two students from our service territory, Daniel Hobson and Ryan Hewitt, graduated from this pre-apprentice program, and we’re pleased to help give them the tools to succeed,” said Steve Harmon, president and chief executive officer of Community Electric Cooperative and Tidewater Energy Services.

Keith Harkins, Southside Virginia Community College’s vice president of workforce and continuing education, explained that donations of late-model equipment such as the Altec D845-TC model digger derrick help maintain low program costs for the Blackstone-based training program while ensuring a quality educational experience.

Headquartered in Windsor, Community Electric Cooperative provides power to 11,000 homes, farms and businesses in Isle of Wight, Southampton, Surry and Sussex counties and the city of Suffolk.