OREMC hosted four Glynn County educators over two days in October, immersing them in the day-to-day operations and getting to know the people behind the power. From a ride in a bucket, feeling the weight of the lineworker’s utility belt, being briefed on the “big screen” in the Control Center and seeing a demonstration of a self-healing electric system of the future, the educators quickly realized there was more to electricity than simply flipping a switch. This was the third year OREMC has participated in the Glynn County Teacher Externship Program as a host site.

 This year’s participants included Shannan Benner, Ed.S., 5^th Grade Teacher at Sterling Elementary: Erin Judkins, M.S.Ed., Assistant Principal at Needwood Middle School; Lannon Ramierz, Special Education ParaPro at Satilla Marsh Elementary School; and Adam Winkler, Ed.D., Reading Specialist at Glynn Academy.

 “Gaining a firsthand glimpse into the energy industry, witnessing the career paths available, and seeing the family atmosphere within the organization was more than educational for me,” noted Winkler. “My students were interested in the job opportunities and the career tracks with the power industry.”

 They began day one with an overview of OREMC history, electric membership cooperatives and the cooperative form of business. Following that they met with the management team and human resources to better understand roles, cooperative culture, OREMC policies, procedures, training and educational requirements for various positions.

 From there they got a bit more up close and personal look at the people behind the power at OREMC and learned about employees’ individual jobs and journeys— there were many different paths to jobs at OREMC, as some employees started as high school students, others advanced through on-the-job training and some required college degrees.

The teachers also traveled to a job site where a line crew was rebuilding a service location.

 Day two began bright and early, meeting with the crew at the Kingsland district office. Chatting with the lineman, the teachers got a chance to ask questions about how and why each lineman chose their profession. Then they were given a pole climbing demonstration, followed by a boat ride out to the 3.5 miles of line running from the mainland under two rivers and across the marsh to serve consumer-members living on Cumberland and Little Cumberland islands. There were questions abound regarding the 45 poles, how they were outfitted, how long it took to build and who climbed which poles.

 The purpose of the externship experience is to connect educators with business and industry to better understand how workforce needs and classroom learning connect. Doing so helps educators provide context for students, helping them understand how reading, writing, face-to-face communication, math, science and organization skills can be used in the real world. It also helps teachers give students a broader perspective on the different types of jobs available and the skills/education necessary to do those jobs.