AMP Member Training Center
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August 2023
By Zachary Hoffman, Manager of Communications and Publications
The AMP Member Training Center — referred to as the 1201 Training Center — at AMP headquarters in Columbus, is now fully operating with a refresh that was completed this year.
AMP’s Lineworker Training Program has been providing training to apprentice lineworkers in member communities since the mid-1980s. The program has helped train more than 1,000 lineworkers from six states.
In 2019, AMP began a multi-year project to renovate the training center, which had previously served as a storage facility for the corporate building at 1111 Schrock Road. Some of the most noteworthy improvements include the expansion of several rooms to accommodate classroom-style training and updates to the restrooms and flooring as well as common areas, such as the cafeteria and lounge, to provide a place for trainees to collaborate. Work completed in 2023 also included exterior work — repaving the parking lot and adding signage and additional gravel access roads in the training yard. AMP’s facilities team completed the vast majority of the work, finishing up in March 2023, ahead of the first lineworker training classes that year. The updates were done at the request of AMP management to make the space more accommodating for lineworker training.
“When we have apprentices coming into Columbus from out of town, we want them to feel this is an inviting setting,” said Scott McKenzie, senior director of member training and safety. “When they come here and see the facility and see their peers in action shots displayed on the walls, we hope they feel motivated. The apprentices are key to the future of our industry and our Members’ success, and our facilities should reflect that.”
The training center sits directly adjacent to AMP’s lineworker training field, giving training sessions a seamless flow — allowing for trainers to cover both bookwork and fieldwork in the same setting.
In addition to the renovated Member Training Facility, in 2023 the AMP Lineworker Training Program was approved by ApprenticeOhio as a U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship Sponsor. This approval allows members, regardless of state, to register their apprentices for certification through AMP’s registered apprenticeship program with AMP serving as the group sponsor.
The AMP Lineworker Training Program provides member utility lineworkers and personnel with a high quality, certified training program that combines both formal classroom training and hands-on personalized instruction. With a focus on safe operations, system reliability and premier customer service, the training program includes four levels: Basic 1, Basic II, Intermediate and Advanced. The full list of training opportunities for the remainder of the 2023 calendar year can be found in the AMP Technical Services Training Brochure and on the technical training page of the AMP website.
In an industry that struggles with the effects of an aging workforce, training opportunities for new and seasoned lineworkers alike are more important than ever. AMP’s training program serves as an affordable, accessible option for member utilities to secure and train their future workforce and the AMP Member Training Facility will help to provide improved learning experiences well into the future.
“Lineworker training and safety is the future of this industry,” McKenzie said. “We are in a very aging industry; there is a lot of turnover and there is a lot of demand right now for lineworkers. Having an updated and forward-thinking apprenticeship program is key to turning out the best quality lineworkers back to our membership.”
To learn more about AMP’s Lineworker Training Program or other training opportunities, visit the Technical Services page of the AMP website. If you have questions about AMP’s Lineworker Training Program, please contact Scott McKenzie at [email protected].
