(WACO) – San Bernard Electric Cooperative, Inc. donated a 1997 International double-bucket truck to Texas State Technical College. The truck estimated to be worth about $35,000 will be used in the Lineman program.

“This will enable us to teach students about bucket work and safety, how to do basic line work out of a bucket and aid in pole-top rescue training,” said Instructor Bobby Mitchell. This truck also gives students the ability to have more training time towards earning their Commercial Driving License (CDL), which is a requirement for employment in the lineman field, he explained.

San Bernard Electric Cooperative, Inc. representatives Mike Boettcher, 1st Class Lineman; James Jouett, Tech Service Supervisor and Don Roberts, Electric System Manager delivered the truck to the Waco campus. The representatives said the company, which recently hired two TSTC students, wanted to give back in a way that would help improve training. Andrew Schmidt and Joesph McCarty are graduating next month and have already been hired by San Bernard Electric Cooperative, Inc. The Co-op’s representatives mingled with students and explained the features of the truck.

 “This is outstanding,” said Schmidt. “I wish more companies would be like this and put money into where they hire their graduates from.”

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