Aiken Tech offers tower technician certification program
Jan. 7—In two weeks, a person could obtain a new certification and a new job fixing cell towers.
The certified tower technician program at Aiken Technical College teaches the skills needed to work on a tower. Dr. Steven F. Simmons, dean of training and continuing education, said the program fills a need to safely train people to work in that dangerous environment.
"We began working with industry representatives to try and determine is there a training program we can create that will prepare workers," Simmons said. "In the last three years we moved it from an academic program to a 12-day certificate program where the students are here Monday through Saturday for two weeks, and upon graduation they are introduced to area employers."
More than 300 students have trained in the program the past three years. Simmons said all received job offers with starting pay ranging from $25 to $30 an hour.
Program participants take safety classes, earn certification in OSHA 10 safety and competent climber, and learn the work needed at the top of the tower, Simmons said.
"A tower technician can do several things," Simmons said. "They can either be building the tower, like an erector set, or on an existing tower they may be asked to go up and install new equipment for the cellular company. So each cell tower may have two or three different carriers on it, but they'll go up and install the equipment. They may be asked to go up there and repair equipment or inspect equipment."
Program instructor Joey Morrissette said students learn OSHA 10, CPR, basic fall protection, how to correctly use the equipment, how to inspect the tower and "how to be 100% safe all the time so we don't have any falls."
Participants have a good chance of finding a job due to a high demand in the field.
"Nationwide they need about 30,000 in the next year or two and we got 100% job placement rate that pay starts from about $19.50 to $25 an hour," Morrissette said. "You get medical, dental, 401k, you get to travel a lot, stay in nice hotels, they even pay for your food."
The program has a capacity of 12 students and averages six to eight per class, Simmons said. Most of the participants in the program are veterans who come from across the country using their VA benefits. The school has partnered with Warriors for Wireless to help veterans.
Simmons said South Carolina residents can participate for free and for others the cost is $5,700.
Noel Hamilton, who completed the program in May 2021, said participants are going to learn a lot of important information.
"You're going to get a couple of certifications and you'll also going to learn the basic fundamentals, RF, EME awareness, you're going to learn how to maintain 100% tie off when you're on these structures and the things that you need to be aware of and how to take care of someone if they fall or get injured and how to take care of yourself," Hamilton said.
Hamilton has worked in Florida and Tennessee.
"After that I was doing broadcast work in Indianapolis for about two months before the company shut down," Hamilton said. "That was 1,200 foot towers changing out lightbulbs and beacons. That was very, very interesting part of the work."
Marquis Brooks, a December student, said he originally completed the program in 2017, but wanted to get his recertification to provide a better life for him and his family.
The 12-day program is held on once a month. Simmons recommends program graduates gain work experience before coming back to Aiken Tech to get their drone certification and fiber certification.
"They'll be very highly qualified and they'll have a very promising career in the field," Simmons said.
For more information on the programs and their dates, visit atc.edu or contact Kendall Carter at carterk@atc.edu or 803-508-7365.
