Military veterans who are enrolled in the ElectriCities Apprenticeship Program in North Carolina can now receive GI Bill benefits.
That’s thanks, in part, to Jared Auman, an Apprentice Lineworker II who helps power the towns of Huntersville and Cornelius in North Carolina.
Jared joined ElectriCities in 2021 after serving four years with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, including a combat tour in Afghanistan.
When he discovered that the ElectriCities Apprentice Lineworker Program was state-approved, he knew it could be eligible for on-the-job training reimbursement through the GI Bill.
He was right.
He contacted ElectriCities Manager of Safety and Training, Craig Batchelor, who ran with it.
Turns out, ElectriCities Vice President of Human Resources, Melissa Miranda, had been working with the state and the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) to get the ElectriCities apprenticeship program VA-approved.
Craig helped get things moving and became a School Certifying Official (SCO) through the VA. Being an SCO enables him to submit all the documentation required to help apprentice lineworkers get their GI Bill benefits. To provide backup and ensure efficiency, two more ElectriCities employees are on their way to becoming SCOs: Safety and Training Specialist Jeff Freeman and Learning and Development Specialist Susanne Taylor.
With Jared officially receiving his benefits, Craig is working with a few other lineworkers to get theirs going. And he’s looking for more.
If you or anyone on your team is enrolled in the ElectriCities Apprentice Lineworker Program in North Carolina and is eligible to receive GI Bill benefits, contact Craig.
Craig’s message to South Carolina veterans in the ElectriCities apprenticeship program: Hold tight. “We’re working on getting our apprenticeship program approved for VA benefits in South Carolina,” he said. “We hope to have that done by the end of the year.”