DALLAS – Helping fuel the energy industry workforce with skilled employees, Luminant is pleased to announce that more than 20 students from the first Power Track class will graduate this month with degrees in power plant technology from Tyler Junior College. This summer, 19 graduates will begin their energy careers at a Luminant power plant.
“I was recently offered a job at Oak Grove Power Plant, and I jumped at the opportunity,” said Garrett Henson, a Buffalo High School graduate of the Power Track inaugural class. “Around here, these are some of the best jobs you can get, and with the benefits from a company like Luminant, you can’t pass it up. I believe Power Track is a once-in-a-lifetime experience – just learning and working alongside people that know what to do and how to do it, you can’t beat it.”
With successful training programs already in place, Luminant, the largest power generator in Texas with several plants in East Texas, found it needed an additional way to keep up with the surging need for skilled workers trained in power plant technology. The Power Track program offers concentrated training in power plant operations, electrical technology, mechanical technology and instrumentation and control to accelerate the learning process for new workers. In 2011, in partnership with Tyler Junior College, Luminant created Power Track, which provides students with full scholarships covering books and tuition toward a two-year associate degree, a paid internship and the opportunity to foster a relationship that could grow into a full-time position with Luminant upon graduation.
“Power Track is a career development program unlike any other in Texas, and we’re providing students with a top-notch education and the necessary training to succeed in a career in the energy sector,” said Mac McFarland, Luminant CEO. “We’re delighted to welcome so many of the graduates to the Luminant team and to see the next generation of power plant employees continue our legacy of powering Texas.”
Combined, students completed nearly 1,000 credit hours in electrical, mechanical and power plant operations courses and received hands-on training at Luminant Academy, the company’s state-of-the-art training facility at TJC’s West Campus.
Graduates will attend TJC’s spring commencement on Friday, May 10. In addition, two Power Track students will graduate with associate degrees from Texas State Technical College in Marshall this May. Power Track received national recognition in 2012 from the Aspen Institute as a Model of Successin its Skills for America’s Future program.
The following students are this year’s Power Track program graduates:
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Cody Bodiford, Bremond ISD
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Chris Grigg, Bremond ISD
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Garrett Henson, Buffalo ISD
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Jonathan Hollister, Buffalo ISD
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C.J. Menefee, Buffalo ISD
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Chris Sweeney, Buffalo ISD
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Daniel Vazquez, Buffalo ISD
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Daniel Tillman, Chapel Hill ISD
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Justin Hairgrove, Cross Roads ISD
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Kevin Cooke, Franklin ISD
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Chris Horton, Fairfield ISD
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Tyler Esters, Henderson ISD
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Bret Green, Henderson ISD
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Jacob Mostyn, Henderson ISD
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Wes Stutzman, Madisonville ISD
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Fabian Trujillo, Milano ISD
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Luis Sanchez, Mount Pleasant ISD
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Yovani Ugalde, Mount Pleasant ISD
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Taylor Pond, New Summerfield ISD
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Preston Mitchell, Normangee ISD
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Dylon Ross, Normangee ISD
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Brady Martin, Rivercrest ISD
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Colton Phipps, Rivercrest ISD
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Blake Belyeu, Van ISD
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Tel Hawkins, Whitehouse ISD
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Zach Kennedy, Whitehouse ISD
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Trey Hogan, Wortham ISD
To learn more about the program, visit LuminantPowerTrack.com. You can also find the program on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr by searching Luminant Power Track.
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About Luminant
Luminant, a subsidiary of Energy Future Holdings Corp., is a competitive power generation business, including mining, wholesale marketing and trading, and development operations. Luminant has more than 15,400 megawatts of generation in Texas, including 2,300 MW fueled by nuclear power and 8,000 MW fueled by coal. The company is also one of the largest purchasers of wind-generated electricity in Texas and the nation. EFH is a Dallas-based energy holding company that has a portfolio of competitive and regulated energy subsidiaries, primarily in Texas. Visit https://www.luminant.com/ or http://www.energyfutureholdings.com/ for additional information.
Media
Caroline Atkins
214-875-8302
Caroline.Atkins@luminant.com