Campaign to recognize safety, dedication to PEC’s mission
Select PEC lineworker apprentices from each district were honored at our inaugural Apprentice of the Year ceremony for their dedication to developing our future.
The program was formed to recognize apprentices who demonstrate excellence in leadership, classroom exam performance, skills demonstrated, volunteer work with PEC outside of their daily tasks, and acts of service in their local communities. Those selected also needed to have received our members’ recognition for their field work.
Lineworkers nominated include:
- Levi Rainwater, Bertram
- Zack Gough, Canyon Lake
- Daniel Wilson, Cedar Park
- Dylon Jackson, Johnson City
- Shane Powers, Junction
- Maverick Boening, Kyle
- Josh Smith, Marble Falls
- Presten Smith, Oak Hill
- Jon Kan, Liberty Hill
Each lineworker exceeded expectations, attended at least one class during 2023 at the Safety and Technical Training Center, passed all assessments and exams, and committed no safety violations. The selection committee included Operations Vice President Virgil Maldonado, Engineering Vice President Jose Trevino, and Safety and Technical Training Director James Vasquez.
“Congratulations to every one of the apprentices who were nominated,” said Technical Training Manager Josh Hanawalt. “You’re leading by example, and we appreciate that. You are all very worthy of being here, and thank you for carrying on the tradition of excellence for PEC.”
Most of the apprentices, including Junction Apprentice Shane Powers, said they were humbled by the nomination.
“It’s a pretty neat accomplishment,” Powers said. “When PEC spends their time doing something like this, it will push us to succeed and dig deeper.”
Kyle Apprentice Maverick Boening expressed his gratitude for the co-op’s efforts to honor hard work.
“It’s very morale-boosting,” he said. “Even though we’re just apprentices, this shows that even management sees us out there working hard.”
Apprentice of the Year
Zack Gough, an apprentice from the Canyon Lake district, earned the Apprentice of the Year award, which came with a plaque bearing his name; new climbing gear including belt, boots, and tools; a gift card; and a place on the record board to be displayed all year in the Safety and Technical Training Center.
While Gough expressed appreciation for the nomination, he said he couldn’t have done it without his other crew workers’ mentorship and team efforts.
“I put it on all the guys I’ve worked under,” he said. “They’ve taught me well and helped me get to the place where I’m at.”
About the campaign
Each year, candidates will be nominated for this award by management at each district, who will provide a detailed explanation of why the nominee deserves the award. After an evaluation process, a shortlist of finalists will be determined based on the highest scores or ratings.
The technical training team will provide any scores from class and grading rubrics for additional information. This shortlist will represent the candidates who will move forward to the final selection process.
