Springville P-TECH students and BPU employees outside of the Dow Street Substation during recent tour of BPU facilities.

The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities recently welcomed a dozen students and two faculty members from the Springville CAM P-TECH Program for a presentation on careers in public power and a tour of the BPU power plant and one of its substations.

The students from the Electrical Construction and Maintenance Electrician program at the Careers in Advanced Manufacturing (CAM) P-Tech Academy and faculty members William Clark and Jason Fitzner were invited to learn about the utility’s services, career opportunities in the electrical field, and specific ways to gain apprenticeships in this career area.

Transmission and Distribution Supervisor Tye Flurie and Electrician Pat Shay spoke to students about their positions and the types of tasks and challenges they deal with on a daily basis. Business Development Coordinator Ellen Ditonto detailed future clean energy jobs. Human Resources Director Tammy Anderson described BPU jobs, the utility’s application process and the potential earning levels for various positions.

Both Junior Electrical Engineer Micah Kautchick and Power System Electrician Rob Rousch toured the students through the power plant and discussed the BPU’s plans to modernize its operations as a way to increase reliability and resilience for its customers. Senior Electrical Engineer Jarrett Devereaux led the tour at the utility’s Dow Street substation.

William Clark, P-TECH faculty member and an instructor in the Electrical Construction and Maintenance Program commented on the importance of these on-site tours that connect theory with on-the-job skills.

“The P-TECH students gained valuable insight into how the skills they learn in the classroom apply directly in the field. The staff at the Jamestown BPU did an excellent job explaining the operations of the power plant and substation, providing students with a meaningful, hands-on learning experience.” Clark said.” We received positive feedback from the students who attended the tour, and a few expressed interest in pursuing future employment opportunities with the BPU,” he added.

The BPU has partnered with CAM P-TECH for three years to provide seniors and super senior students with an opportunity to tour facilities and interact with electricians and engineers.

The P-TECH students have the opportunity to earn a high school diploma, an associate’s degree through Alfred State and valuable industry certifications–all while gaining hands-on experience in advanced manufacturing. In addition to technical skills, the CAM P-TECH program strongly emphasizes professional development, workplace readiness, and career exploration. The Springville program is a part of the Erie2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES system.