National Lineworker Appreciation Day is April 13! Dairyland and our member cooperatives are taking the opportunity anytime this month to honor the professionals who keep the lights on day and night, in all kinds of weather and conditions. 

Most notably this year, lineworkers are an integral part of our critical work force during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our transmission professionals are delivering on Dairyland’s mission to safely ensure reliable delivery of energy for the bulk electric system. Thank you for your dedication to our members— and for putting safety first at work and at home.

Dairyland Power employs 61 highly skilled lineworkers who work safely in challenging conditions across our four-state service territory. Our line professionals span many areas and levels, including apprentice, journeymen, lead, foreperson and management positions. 

Anyone who has had power restored after an outage—so, everyone—knows and appreciates the critical service provided by lineworkers. “The COVID-19 crisis has put a spotlight on the expert, essential work performed at all times by utility professionals like Dairyland’s lineworkers. Whether you are conducting regular maintenance, responding to an outage call or managing your workload within the new COVID-19 protocols, the expertise of Dairyland’s lineworkers is greatly appreciated,” said Ben Porath, COO. “Most importantly, thank you for keeping safety as your first priority every day.” 

Did you know? To achieve Journeyman Lineworker status, participants must graduate from an 8,000 hour apprenticeship involving 640 classroom hours, safely perform on-the-job training, pass the statewide lineworker test and earn recommendation by the apprentice’s supervisor.