Celebrating the 2023 Lineworker Scholars

Last year, T&D World honored the Edison International lineworker scholars with the article, "Driving Diversity in California Line Work" in the 2022 Lineman Supplement. We also featured past scholarship winner Djon Greer in our August 2022 Line Life Podcast episode.

This year, we are proud to announce the 12 aspiring lineworkers for 2023. They will be awarded up to $25,000 each to pursue a chance to become a Southern California Edison lineworker as part of the 2023 Edison International Lineworker Scholarship Program, funded by Edison International shareholders and IBEW Local 47. The program is designed to bring in lineworkers to help power the clean energy future.

California has sizeable electrification needs to meet ambitious clean energy goals, and the electric industry will need highly skilled lineworkers to reach them. According to labor statistics, the demand for lineworkers is expected to rise by 8.5% by 2026. Edison’s Lineworker Scholarship Program is designed to fill that need with skilled lineworkers, right in Southern California.

“SCE needs well-trained and energetic lineworkers more than ever as we work to assure a grid that is reliable, resilient and ready to meet our customers’ demands in a clean energy future,” said Heather Rivard, SCE’s senior vice president of Transmission & Distribution. “The Lineworker Scholarship Program is already helping us meet those needs, and I look forward to meeting the new scholarship winners, including a U.S. Marine Veteran and our second female recipient!”

The recipients of the 2023 Edison International Lineworker Scholarship are:

Angela Bruleé, Los Angeles
Ivan Castaneda, Norwalk
Jesse Chhing, Long Beach
Lazarus Fuentes, Bloomington
Justin Johnston, Pico Rivera
Nisifolo Lolesio, San Jacinto
Daniel Maldonado, Forest Falls
Freddy McCutcheon, Lakewood
Israel Mendez, South Gate
Jermone Mitchell, Lancaster
Ubaldo Reyes Tapia, Maywood
Brandon Ross, Moreno Valley

Launched in 2021, the Edison International Lineworker Scholarship Program initially focused on attracting Black participants. This year, the program expanded its focus to include candidates who self-identify as Asian Pacific Islander, Native American or female. The Lineworker Scholarship provides tuition, tools and support services, such as housing, transportation and childcare, needed to complete required training at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and to obtain a Class A driver’s license.

2022 Lineworker Scholarship recipient Nicole Taylor said, “Three words that describe my journey since receiving the scholarship are resilience, strength and teamwork. There is a sense of camaraderie between the scholarship recipients, and the support we’ve received from the 2021 cohort has helped me along my journey.”

Recipients are eligible for an entry-level groundman/groundwoman position at SCE once they complete the Powerline Mechanic Certificate program, obtain a Class A driver’s license and complete SCE pre-employment requirements. All jobs will be located within SCE’s 50,000-square-mile service area, and the company may require graduates to relocate for their positions.

To learn more about the Lineworker Scholarship winners, visit the 2023 Lineworker Scholarship Spotlight page. The next application period will start next spring. Applicants are encouraged to visit Edison International Lineworker Scholarship to stay up to date on next year’s eligibility requirements.