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Climbing on Up
08/02/2018
Line Worker Program Graduates Taking Roles with Entergy in Louisiana
Brad Barrios was looking for work after being laid off from an oilfield job when a friend told him about a “good, steady career” as a line worker.
Barrios decided to enroll in the Certified Line Worker Training Program at Fletcher Technical Community College in Schriever to pursue a National Center for Construction Education & Research certification. The course also is offered at Delgado Community College in New Orleans.
Pictured, at right, is Brad Barrios, new Entergy Louisiana lineman, with supervisor William “Moochie” McDonald.
“It was a good opportunity and I’d heard it was a good, steady career,” said Barrios, who now works as an Entergy lineman based in Gretna.
When asked what the most challenging aspect of the program was, Barrios quickly answered: climbing a pole.
“As each day went by, we went a little higher, a little higher, and before you knew it, we were at the top of a 40-foot pole placing equipment,” he said. “At the beginning, the program was a lot to take in, but I’m glad I did it.”
WORK ETHIC, ATTITUDE AND COMMITMENT
Like Barrios, Drake Badeaux and Yancey Solar are among the first group of CLWT program graduates to begin taking line worker roles with Entergy operating companies in Louisiana. Both report to Amy Martinez, Entergy Louisiana line supervisor in the Lockport area.
Pictured are new Entergy Louisiana linemen Drake Badeaux and Yancey Solar along with Timothy “Tucker” Dufrene, center, operations coordinator based in Lockport.
Martinez served as a guest speaker at Fletcher, focusing her talks around work ethic, attitude and commitment.
“I learned a lot about the tools and procedures. I also learned more about communication and attitude than I thought I would,” Badeaux said.
Students not only are exposed to the rigors of the job, Martinez said, but also the potential time away from home. The detailed view of the life of linemen, she said, “leaves no question marks in their minds.”
“The program gives us a dedicated person with their goal set on becoming a lineman,” said Entergy New Orleans supervisor John Kingston. “They get exposed to the tools, equipment and material that they’ll be using. They also learn climbing skills and test their ability at heights.”
And while the program gives students an opportunity to see what they are signing up for, it also offers veterans like Kingston, Martinez and others a chance to see what they will receive.
“The program offers an opportunity to see students in action and how they would perform during real-life assignments,” said Mike Hall, Entergy Louisiana line supervisor for the Hammond area. “It also provides a glimpse of their communication skills and how they would interact with other crew members.
“That’s invaluable,” he added.
Pictured is the first group of graduates from the Certified Line Worker Training program at Delgado Community College in New Orleans, along with program coordinators, instructors and Delgado and Entergy New Orleans officials.
The theme continues at Delgado Community College where Ryan Price, Entergy New Orleans operations coordinator, serves as program instructor. Price said he also touched on similar topics while emphasizing the “being your brother’s keeper” safety message.
“Safety was stressed from day one at Delgado and, in the short time that I have been with Entergy, safety is first in everything we do,” said Dustin Hebert, a graduate of the Delgado program and new Entergy New Orleans lineman.
For more information on the Certified Line Worker Training Program, visit, the Fletcher or Delgado websites or send an email to lineworkerinfo@lctcs.edu.
