Tailboard Talks Episode 16 Out Now
Episode 16 of Tailboard Talks is out now! Host Mark Forster, CUSP sits down with Alan Ames to discuss the workforce challenges that face Michels Power, Inc. and the contracting world.
Mark and Alan then continue their discussion around training, manpower, and other challenges facing contractors in the electric utility industry’s ever-changing landscape.
This episode is sponsored by T&D PowerSkills.
Available wherever you get your podcasts, or click here to listen.
New Training Package for Telecom Lineworkers
We are excited to announce our newest training package, Basic Training for Telecommunications Lineworkers!
Program overview:
The program offers a structured approach to telecom education, featuring engaging video segments, comprehensive workbooks, and thorough assessment tools.
Video segments:
Segment 1: Electric Safety
Segment 2: Distribution Systems
Segment 3: Digger Derricks and Bucket Trucks
Segment 4: Grounding and Insulating
Program includes:
Student Workbook with quizzes for each segment to reinforce learning and assess understanding
Instructor's Guide, featuring a final test with both questions and an answer key for effective knowledge assessment and grading
Required Field Competencies (RFC) to ensure that field personnel meet necessary regulatory and safety standards
Ideal for:
Telecom companies
Electric utilities and contractors
Educational institutions
Companies looking to enhance their telecom training programs
For pricing and more information, email Mack Turner or call him at (509) 237-2851.
Over 10,000 lineworkers needed in next 10 years
Employment of electrical powerline installers and repairers is projected to grow 8% from now until 2033 - faster than the average for all occupations.
Over 10,000 openings for electrical powerline installers and repairers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
US DOL announces $12.7M in grants awarded to promote workplace safety, health training, education
Susan Harwood Training Grants awarded to 102 nonprofit organizations.
Click here to view article.
US Energy Says 20,000 New Lineman Needed for Rising Electricity Needs
New podcast episode: “The Power of Mental Wellness”
Episode 13 of the ISPC Tailboard Talks podcast is out now, with special guest Mark Taylor, CUSP, Senior Advisor of Corporate Services at Primary Engineering and Construction in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
In this episode, titled "The Power of Mental Wellness," hosts Mark & Jerry discuss mental wellness and health, as well as statistics on suicide in the construction industry. Then listen to a great conversation between our hosts and special guest Mark Taylor, who shares his personal struggle with mental wellness throughout his life and career. He discusses what it took for him to come to grips with his struggles, before finally reaching out for help in dealing with mental illness.
Listen & subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, or download here.
If you like what you hear, please leave us a review. It really helps others find us!
Stay tuned for the second half of this important conversation in the next episode of Tailboard Talks, coming soon.
Thank you this episode’s sponsor, T&D PowerSkills, setting the standard for lineworker training.
2025 Trainers Conference Registration Open
Registration is open for the 5th annual Trainers Conference and Tradeshow, back in San Antonio! Our theme this year is "Update Your Training Toolbox." Join us February 17-20 to equip yourself with the latest tools and techniques to enhance your training effectiveness.
Exciting new sessions on offer this year include:
• Leading the Charge
• Your Electric Reality
• From Safety to Strategy
• Print Reading & Troubleshooting
• From Transition to Transformation
• The 10 Deadly Myths of Protective Grounding
• Sustainable Training through Employee Engagement
and much more!
As always, we have lined up exhibitors to showcase the industry’s best products and technologies.
REGISTER EARLY to secure your spot! This will be a sold out conference!
New ECOS Webinar featuring Mack Turner, CUSP (ISPC Executive Director)
We are proud to have been a part of another ECOS (Electric Culture of Safety) National Safety Webinar. This session is called "Back to Basics - Electricity 101," and is a must watch for everyone in our industry! Thank you to Brent Jeffries of Bierer Meters and everyone involved in ECOS for your constant dedication to safety in the powerline industry.
Tailboard Talks Episode 11 Out Today
In episode 11, host Mark Forster and co-host Jerry Havens are back in Harnessing Safety: The Importance of Fall Protection where they are joined by special guest Kat Clemmons, Co-owner/Vice President of JELCO, a manufacturer of fall protection equipment since 1892.
In the ISPC Tailboard Talks segment, Mark and Jerry discuss training, care, maintenance, and inspection of fall protection equipment. They go over OSHA’s requirements and what you need to know to make sure your fall protection PPE will do its job. In this episode’s special guest segment, Mark and Jerry talk with Kat Clemmons about her career, the history of JELCO, and what makes JELCO one of the top fall protection manufacturers. Then Kat shares some exciting news about JELCO that you won’t want to miss.
Thank you to this episode's sponsor, T&D PowerSkills, setting the standard for lineworker training.
New podcast episode: So You Want to be a Lineworker" out now
In episode 10 of Tailboard Talks, host Mark Forster and co-host Jerry Havens are back with "So You Want to be a Lineworker," where they are joined by special guest Curtis Bradley, Jr., CUSP, author of his second book, “Welcome to Linework, An Apprentice’s Action Guide.”
In the ISPC Tailboard Talks segment, Mark, Jerry, and Curtis discuss what it takes to be a valued apprentice, building a solid work ethic and teamwork skills, effective communication on the jobsite, as well as the importance of physical fitness and personal well-being. Curtis shares his take with anyone out there trying to decide whether to become a lineworker, letting them know what it really takes.
Subscribe and listen wherever you get your podcasts, or download here.
Thank you to this episode's sponsor, Gritty Tools - Eliminating workplace injuries, one tool at a time.
Episode 8 of Tailboard Talks Podcast this Friday
Host Mark Forster is back for a new episode called Partnering for “LIFE.” In this episode, he highlights some lifelong partnerships that are being developed through a grassroots approach to safety and training in the electric utility industry to help save lives every day.
In the ISPC Tailboard Talks segment, Mark sits down with special guest Brent Jeffries, VP of Field Operations and Safety Training at Bierer Meters. They discuss tool safety and the efforts that Brent and Bierer Meters have taken to help ensure that people in the industry understand the reality of what meters do and the potential dangers they can pose to workers.
Mark continues his conversation with Brent Jeffries, discussing Brent’s journey in the utility industry and the creation of the constantly growing Electric Culture of Safety (ECOS). Then Mark lets the cat out of the bag about a partnership being formed by ISPC and Bierer Meters to create a state of the art training facility on the Bierer campus in Blythewood, South Carolina. Through partnerships and a grassroots approach, the training facility will be used to train the next generation of lineworkers.
ISPC is grateful for the sponsors of this episode: Bierer Meters and the Electric Culture of Safety.
Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, so you'll be notified when new episodes drop. Please leave us a review and rating, too. It really helps others find our show!
New Podcast Episode Out Now!
In episode 07 of the ISPC Tailboard Talks podcast, host Mark Forster, CUSP is joined by special guest Annie Wittenberg from NWPPA. They get into "The Power of Association" and how public power associations support their members. June is also Fire Safety Month, so listen to learn about seven ways to prevent fires at home and in the workplace.
Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, or download the episode here.
Thank you to this episode's sponsor, Bierer Meters.
New Content Added for Members Only!
We have just added new resources to our website! Log into your member account to check out several new webinars featuring Mack Turner, Jim Vaughn, Mark Forster, and Dan Taylor!
If you aren't a member yet, find more information here.
Community Colleges, Supporting the Utility Industry - New Podcast Episode
In episode 06 of ISPC's podcast Tailboard Talks, hosts Mark Forster and Jerry Havens are back to discuss the topic of how community colleges support electric utilities. In the Tailboard Talks segment, they discuss how to prevent ticks and other insects from getting on you, and what to do if they do. They are then joined by special guest Matthew Teeters, Operations Manager for Upper Peninsula Power Company (UPPCO), where they learn about Matthews’ career journey to becoming a utility manager, as well as continuing the discussion on how community colleges support the utility industry.
Listen and subscribe to Tailboard Talks here, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Welcome James McGowan!
ISPC is proud to welcome a new affiliated consultant to our team: James McGowan!
A little about James:
Internationally recognized safety trainer
Expert in all aspects of the T&D industry
Management and leadership trainers
Chairman of ET&D Training Task Team II
Led development of OSHA-10 and OSHA-20
Accomplished public speaker
Contributing member of several technical advisory groups
and more!
We can't wait to get started on some projects with James!
Contact us to learn how we can help keep your crews safe!
New Tailboard Talks Episode: "Becoming a Leader"
Episode 5 of Tailboard Talks is back with hosts Mark and Jerry, as well as special guest Curtis Bradley, discussing the journey to leadership and what to do once you get there. Listen & subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, or listen here.
Many thanks to Bierer Meters for sponsoring this episode of Tailboard Talks.
Episode 4 of Tailboard Talks podcast
"Safety 101"
Hosts Mark Forster and Jerry Havens are back to discuss the importance of hydration. They highlight some steps to take to avoid dehydration, and they go over warning signs, helpful statistics, and the effects dehydration can have on cognitive function. Special guest Mike Starner, Executive Director for Outside Line Services for NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association) tells Mark and Jerry a little about himself and his journey to where he is in his career and the industry today. The rest of their conversation covers all things related to safety in the industry.
Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
This episode was sponsored by Bierer Meters - Made in the USA.
ISPC part of Alaska Lineman Safety Week
