For many young people and their families, going to college is seen as the best way, if not the only way, to create a stable and rewarding career. Unfortunately, the cost of a college education has more than doubled in the 21st Century, and many students go into significant amounts of debt just to finance a college degree. This debt can persist for many years after graduation – more than 7 million Americans over the age of 50 have yet to fully pay off their student loans, when they should already be saving up for their retirement.
Donald Leiching, Founder and COO of Linemen Institute of the North East (LINE), a New York-based pre-apprentice electrical lineman trade school, seeks to challenge the prevailing mentality that puts going to college on a pedestal. Having worked for more than 33 years as a lineman and manager at various electric companies, Leiching believes that a career in the trades, also known as 'blue-collar work', should not be dismissed, because it is a viable and lucrative path for many young people. One such trade is electrical power line installers and repairers, commonly known as linemen. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the yearly median salary for linemen is $85,420, with strong demand for additional talent. From 2023 to 2033, employment in this sector is expected to grow a faster-than-average 8%.
