BVIEC workers earn certifications in major workforce milestone
Thirteen employees of the BVI Electricity Corporation (BVIEC) have completed specialised certification programmes designed to boost the Corporation’s operational capabilities and workforce development.
Six linemen and seven mechanics were awarded certificates during two ceremonies held on Friday, July 18, at BVIEC’s Transmission and Distribution Building in Long Bush and the Wilfred Smith Power Station in Pockwood Pond.
The morning ceremony recognised the first group of linemen to complete the 12-week Rubber Gloving Insulate & Isolate Training, conducted by Tim Self Powerline Safety and Training. The programme equips workers to safely handle high-voltage lines while they remain energised, allowing the Corporation to carry out maintenance and repairs without disrupting electricity to customers.
Certified linemen include Shaquil Samuel, Edward Pollock, Damien Richardson, and Ronald Baird. Additionally, linemen Shaquil Samuel, Edward Pollock, and Damien Richardson, along with Taryll DeSouza and Toriano King, completed the CARILEC Certified Linesman Programme, which included Level 3A Underground Residential Distribution Training and Level 3B Transmission De-Energized Systems (34.5kV) Training.
Speaking at the event, BVIEC General Manager Dr Neil Smith praised the linemen for their progress.
“It is the intention of the board to eventually have the BVIEC operate at the point where all the linemen are trained to work on high voltage lines while they’re still energised. Out of the six of you, four of you are selected to be the vanguard… The other two, you will be the leaders of the next set of linemen that come up to do the gloving training.”
Training Instructor Tim Self also commended the group’s performance: “What I was able to achieve with these four gentlemen, I’ve never achieved with any other class… What we accomplished is mind-boggling and will serve as a new training model going forward.”
Mechanics complete diesel certification
In the afternoon, seven mechanics from BVIEC’s Generation Department were recognised for completing the CARILEC Diesel Mechanic Level 1 Training, which enhances the Corporation’s internal capacity for generation maintenance.
Those certified are Antoine Brewley, Akeem Thomas, Taniel Todman, Brandon Monsanto, Vaughn Varlack, Romano Hypolite and De Anthony De Freitas.
BVIEC officials say they remain focused on building technical capacity across the organisation to deliver safe and reliable electricity services to the territory.
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Congratulations to you guys, I know what it is to attain gloves technique certificate, I had mine from northwest linesman college, but wasn’t able to use it in antigua, but in the Bahamas, the field has change for you guys, the present supervisor won’t be able to supervise you, so one from among you will have to become a supervisor, when I return home to Antigua after working with Bviec, a lot of friction took place because no one in Antigua had my capabilities, I trained a lot of them and they are foreman and supervisor today. The present supervisory staff fought me on every issue of advancing the company, the engineer at the time had his loyal clique whom he picked to be foreman and supervisor, a guy who worked at power station was made supervisor over us the linesman, that same person ran under truck and ran down the road when he saw me open an HV cutout, when we had a meeting to start hotline work that same person came with a book pointing to literature and pictures saying he knows about hotline work, that is by been acquainted with his brief reading on the subject, it never got off the ground because they objected and felt I would become a supervisor and more advance leaving them obsolete, if I was still working at Bviec I would be over joyed to utilize my training and knowledge, I was trained on the fibre glass platform that is tougher than bucket truck, you guys congratulations,make wave and be safe, remember three things 1. phase to phase, 2. In series, 3. Phase to ground , and your isolation and insulation and approach distances.