Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) is proud to announce support of an exciting collaboration with Baker Technical Institute (BTI) to establish a Lineworker School in Baker City. BTI will operate the lineworker school aimed at preparing the next generation of skilled linemen to meet the growing demands of the electric utility industry. As part of its commitment to safety, reliability, and community development, OTEC recognizes the critical role lineworkers play in ensuring a resilient electrical infrastructure.

“There is a growing need for the technical and skilled labor necessary to support rebuilding and future expansion of the nation’s infrastructure including electric infrastructure” Les Penning, Chief Executive Officer of OTEC states “BTI has proven performance in leveraging technology for innovative training in the trades producing highly skilled workers. This school is in direct alignment with our cooperative and other utility future needs and provides a great gateway for our future workforce in the region as well as an economic stimulus for our communities.”

The cooperative is excited to support BTI, a leading provider of Career Technical Education programs focused on developing the next generation of skilled workers, technology innovators, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. Over the past several years OTEC and BTI have collaborated in creating a Utility Safety Training program where BTI has delivered utility-specific safety to utilities across the Pacific Northwest, laying the essential safety groundwork for the lineman school.

“Our goal is to provide training of the highest standards,” states BTI President Doug Dalton. “We want to build a reputation for graduating future lineman with a solid foundation of skills, experience, and integrity that will ensure continued success and safety in the industry.”

The lineworker school will be one part of a larger vision for a safety training center which will be used by utility workers, first responders and other skilled trade workers. The new training center will be located in the Elkhorn View industrial park, south of the current OTEC headquarters, on approximately 30 acres recently purchased from Baker City. The announcement comes after several years of preparation and planning to bring this vision to life. Construction will begin as soon as possible, and training is set to commence in the fall of 2024.

This investment from OTEC represents the concentration on OTEC’s core value of safety while supporting workforce development to ensure stable, sustainable and skilled workforce for not only utilities but all skilled trades moving forward.

Leaders from both OTEC and BTI express enthusiasm for this collaboration and its potential to positively impact the local community. The new lineworker school initially will create 8 new jobs in the community, with success infuse an estimated $4.2 million into the local community and create skilled labor for the growing infrastructure and energy demands of the region, ensuring a reliable energy future.

For more information on the lineworker school see Baker Technical Institute’s press release at https://bakerti.org/news-and-media/

About OTEC
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) is one of Oregon's largest distribution cooperatives. Headquartered in Baker City, Oregon, with district offices in La Grande, John Day, and Burns, OTEC serves approximately 31,000 meters in Baker, Grant, Harney and Union counties with a network of overhead and underground lines approximately 3,000 miles long. OTEC's distribution system represents an investment of more than $153 million.

About BTI
Baker Technical Institute (BTI) is a leading provider of Career Technical Education programs focused on developing the next generation of skilled workers, technology innovators, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. Headquartered in Baker City, Oregon, BTI offers cutting-edge education and training, leading to certification in high-wage, high-demand careers, such as construction, heavy equipment operation, truck driving, welding, computer science, agricultural sciences, natural resources/environmental sciences, engineering, health services, and manufacturing. For more information, go to bakerti.org