Inaugural Job Shadow Day Attracts Students from Three Local High Schools
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(MARBLE FALLS, Texas) Oct. 6, 2025 — Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) hosted its first Job Shadow Day Oct. 2 at its Safety and Technical Training Center in Marble Falls. More than 100 students and teachers attended from high schools in Johnson City, Marble Falls, and Burnet. The event provided an opportunity for students interested in trade careers to learn about linework and PEC’s nationally-recognized training programs for aspiring lineworkers.
“Students got a bird’s-eye view of everything this facility and our programs have to offer — from what the benefits and pay look like, to what skills they’ll learn each year,” said PEC Community Outreach Specialist Mikayla Herron who works with schools across the Cooperative’s service area. “In a safe and controlled environment, they got to put on gear, climb poles, and ride up in a bucket truck to see what linework is really like.”
Wyatt Lorenzen, a junior at LBJ High School in Johnson City, was eager to participate in the hands-on experience.
“It was a lot of fun,” Lorenzen said. “I can’t learn at a desk. I like to learn outside, touching stuff, so climbing up poles and getting in the bucket truck really got my attention and made me want to pursue this career.”
The demand for lineworkers is projected to grow 7% through 2034, much faster than the average for all other occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Extreme growth across Central Texas combined with an increase in lineworkers retiring across the profession has created a need. PEC is working ahead of the curve to inspire the next generation of lineworkers needed to continue serving its growing communities.
Likewise, schools across the Texas Hill Country are seeing increased interest among students in trade careers, potentially due to the rising costs of college tuition and Artificial Intelligence reshaping the need for entry-level jobs.
“We need lineworkers, and we believe the best way to generate interest is by connecting with students early on and providing interactive experiences like this,” Herron said. “I wholeheartedly believe we saw some future lineworkers today.”
PEC Technical Training Manager Josh Hanawalt chose the profession 20 years ago and was grateful for the chance to encourage students to consider it too.
“I hope they left with the feeling that this is a valuable trade option to build a career and that PEC is committed to safety and excellence and that serving their community through meaningful work is something they can be proud of,” Hanawalt said.
As a cooperative, PEC invests in youth programs that help strengthen its communities. Students at the event also learned about PEC’s free programs and resources available to them, from resume-building courses and scholarships for college and trade school, to Youth Tour — an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to learn about government.
High school graduates 18 years and older who are interested in becoming a lineworker can learn more about PEC’s Pre-Apprentice and Apprentice Programs and apply online. Information on youth programs is available at mypec.com/youth-programs.
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