Tri-County Student to Participate in Student Career Experience
Program through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

CONTACT: BUTCH MERRITT, EXT. 2381

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10/26/2000
(By Lisa Garrett)

PENDLETON – Jason East, an Industrial Electronics Technology student at Tri-County Technical College, is one of 12 technical college students in S.C. and Georgia to participate in a student career experience program through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

East, of Townville, will begin work at the Richard B. Russell Project in Elberton, Georgia, during the day and will attend evening classes at Tri-County. He moved to the area from Kentucky in 1995 when he left the Marine Corp after six years as a utility mechanic. In 1997 he earned an Industrial Mechanics Technology degree from Tri-County and has been employed as an electrical /mechanical systems troubleshooter at Michelin Tire since 1998.

Since the 1960's the U.S. Army Corps has had a three-point training program involving correspondence courses, formal classes at the site and on-the-job training. "Several years ago we substituted the technical college courses for correspondence courses to improve the academic portion," said Virgil Hobbs, electrical engineer and chief of the Hydropower Section, of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District.

"The program builds confidence," added Hobbs. "Jason has made it clear through the interview process that his lifelong dream is to work in hydropower. He has prior knowledge and experience, and the interview team has great expectations for Jason."

The U.S. Army Corps co-ops must maintain a 2.5 grade point average and sign a mobility agreement. East will be centrally located at the Russell facility and will receive training at Hartwell and J. Strom Thurmond projects as well.

When East completes the Hydropower Training Program, he will be qualified for the journeyman level. "There is the chance to be hired following graduation from Tri-County," said Hobbs, "but nothing is guaranteed."

The U.S. Army Corps is the number one producer of hydropower in the nation and has 75 power plants nationwide.
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