Start Climbing

CNM Ingenuity’s pre-apprenticeship will start you on the road to a rewarding and lucrative career. According the the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage for electric lineworkers is more than $80,000. Our program will introduce you to the fundamentals of basic electricity, proper pole climbing techniques, proper use and care of personal protective equipment (PPE), safe work practices, basic knowledge of the function of the power grid and general knowledge necessary to prepare you for a career in the electric linework industry. The course combines classroom time and field work in the outdoor lab at Central New Mexico Community College’s Rio Rancho campus.

Learn from an Industry Pro

Don Maez, PE, began his training in the mid 1980s at Albuquerque TVI where he studied Laser Electro-Optics before pursuing his engineering degree from UNM in Energy and Power Systems. He then attended graduate school at Washington State University while working for the electric utility division at Westinghouse Hanford Company. He returned to NM after accepting a position at the Public Service Company of New Mexico, where he is still employed. He has over 30 years of utility experience in various capacities and has been a part-time instructor at CNM for 20 years. He is an IEEE member and a licensed electrical contractor as well as a registered professional engineer. He enjoys spending his free time traveling and working on the family ranch.