West Penn Power Adds New Line and Substation Employees from Power Systems Institute Training Program

GREENSBURG, Pa., June 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- West Penn Power, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. FE, has hired 18 new line and substation employees from the Power Systems Institute training program as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance service reliability for customers in Pennsylvania.

The Power Systems Institute is a utility training partnership established in 2012 with Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood, Pa.  Students spend two-and-a-half days each week at the college completing academic course work with the remainder of the week spent at a West Penn Power training facility in Jeanette, Pa., focusing on safe work practices and procedures in the electrical environment.  The substation employees are graduates of a similar program at Pierpont Community and Technical College in Fairmont, W.Va. 

These new employees are members of the second graduating class of the Power Systems Institute and earned an associate of applied science degree in Electric Utility Technology.

"The Power Systems Institute program continues to produce well-trained, highly skilled employees for our workforce," said David W. McDonald, president of West Penn Power.  "These new employees will work shoulder-to-shoulder with our veteran linemen and substation personnel, learning from them in the field and honing their craft to help ensure reliable service for our customers, now and for years to come."

The new employees, hometowns, and work locations are: Michael Baranovich, Salem, Ohio, Jeannette; Adam Barnouski, Nanty Glo, Washington; Nicholas Clarke, Carmichaels, Jefferson; Jacob Diamond, Smithfield, Pleasant Valley; Wesley Fleming, Shippensburg, Waynesboro; Mark Graham, Chicora, Kittanning; Joseph Kuligowski, Erie, Jefferson; Charles McClaughlin, New Salem, Uniontown; Jonathan Peachy, Petersburg, State College; Stephen Perichak, North Huntingdon, Charleroi; Donald Poorbaugh, Mount Pleasant, Jeannette; Eric Pry, Harrisville, Butler; Clint Sarver, Elwood City, Butler; Justin Schultz, Irwin, Boyce; Robert Speer, Lower Burrell, Arnold; Keith Verbosky, Jr., Uniontown, Uniontown; Dillon Walton, New Stanton, Charleroi; and Timothy Watkins, New Paris, McConnellsburg.

The Power Systems Institute is an award-winning, two-year educational program originally developed by FirstEnergy in 2000 to help prepare the company's next generation of utility line and substation workers.  Since its inception, FirstEnergy has hired 884 line and 289 substation personnel who completed Power Systems Institute programs in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and West Virginia.

For information about how to enroll in the Power Systems Institute program, call 1-800-829-6801, or go to www.firstenergycorp.com/psi.

West Penn Power serves about 720,000 customers in 24 Pennsylvania counties.  Follow West Penn Power on Twitter @W_Penn_Power and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WestPennPower.

FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence.  Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York.  Visit FirstEnergy on the web at www.firstenergycorp.com, and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

Editor's Note:  A unique photo of West Penn Power's PSI graduates is available for download on Flickr.

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.