College of Albemarle asks Edenton for letter of support for lineman training; council committee backs the request

Edenton — Representatives from the College of Albemarle asked the town on Aug. 25 to support development of an electrical lineman training program that would serve a seven-county region and use space at the regional airport campus.

Robin the Sinsmeister, identified in the meeting as the dean of COA's Edenton campus, said a regional gap analysis showed demand for lineman training and that local partners including Alamar Electric and utilities have expressed interest in providing in-kind support. "Our program vision is to align curriculum directly to industry standards so students can receive credit and move into apprenticeships and journeyman training," Robin said.

COA estimated startup costs of roughly $250,000–$300,000 for training equipment and site preparation and proposed a class cap of about 15 students, initially running two classes a year with the potential to expand. COA targeted a realistic launch in fall 2026, contingent on funding and instructor recruitment.

The administrative committee recommended the town manager prepare a letter of support for the coursework, continue working with the college to define needs, and prepare documentation for full council consideration. Committee members signaled support for exploring use of town-owned buildings and land to host the program.

What happens next: Town staff will draft a letter of support and continue working with COA to identify facilities, instructors and funding options. COA will pursue outside funding and partnerships with utilities for in-kind support.

Attribution: Quotes and descriptions come from Robin (COA dean) and administrative-committee discussion on Aug. 25.