The following is a transcript of the Sept. 7, 2026, episode of Public Power Now. Learn more about subscribing to Public Power Now at PublicPower.org/Podcasts. Some quotes may have been edited for clarity.
Paul Ciampoli
Welcome to the latest episode of Public Power Now.
I'm Paul Ciampoli, APPA's news director.
Workforce issues remain top of mind for public power utilities these days, so we thought it would be timely to hear how one APPA member is working to train the next generation of workers.
Texas public power utility Bryan Texas Utilities this year completed a new training center for line workers and the first class at the center was held in April.
Randy Trimble, BTU Executive Director of Energy Delivery, is here to provide additional details on a new training center.
Randy, thanks for joining us on the podcast.
Randy Trimble
Thanks, Paul. I'm glad to be here.
Paul Ciampoli
So Randy, just to get our conversation started, and before we get into the training center, can you give our listeners a little background on the utility?
Randy Trimble
Bryan Texas Utilities, or BTU, is the municipally owned electric utility serving Bryan, Texas and portions of the surrounding area. We serve a little more than 71,000 customers.
So we're a bit more vertically integrated maybe than many municipal utilities in that we own transmission and distribution facilities and also generation. So our operations cover a pretty broad portion of the electric utility business.
In terms of our service territory, BTU maintains more than 2,500 miles of distribution lines, 32 substations and almost 200 miles of transmission line across roughly 650 square miles. This includes urban and rural areas. While we're a municipal utility, our electric delivery system really extends well beyond the city of Bryan’s city limits.
So this combination of generation, transmission, and distribution, really along with the diversity of our service territory means that we need employees with a broad range of skills and experience.
So developing and retaining that workforce is critical to maintaining safe and reliable service.
Paul Ciampoli
So Randy, could you tell us a little bit more in terms of your role at the utility?
Randy Trimble
I'm the executive director of energy delivery.
So really what that means is my responsibilities primarily focus on the transmission and distribution side and include things like transmission and distribution, operations, construction, maintenance, engineering, as well as system planning.
So that ranges from long-term system planning, major capital projects, making sure we have the people, the equipment, the processes necessary to really safely operate and maintain our system every day.
What we determine from that really is workforce development is an important part of that.
Over the years, we built a very good electric system, but ultimately we need qualified people who can safely operate and maintain it.
Paul Ciampoli
And then just to dive into the training center. I want to give you the chance to talk about your role in terms of helping to develop the new training center.
Randy Trimble
So my role really was helping to establish and support the overall vision. But I want to really focus on the fact that this was very much a team effort -- we talked about earlier, want to take better control of our workforce training and be more intentional about developing our employees.
So our former general manager, Gary Miller, gave the project his full support from the beginning and understood the long-term value of what we were really trying to accomplish.
While that happened, we also had an existing building become available on our transmission and distribution campus.
So it had been used as a warehouse for distribution material for many years, but when we expanded the campus, that material was relocated to a new building.
So because of that, we had a building that had about 900 square feet of office space, which we were able to convert into a classroom.
We engaged an architect to design the classroom for us -- this included an audio visual system, electric work, air conditioning, heating.
So James Bodine, who's our Division Manager of Distribution, played a very important role in working with the architect in getting this part, the classroom part of this project completed. There's an adjoining 5,000 square foot warehouse, and that actually became our hands-on training area.
So I'd really say that management, our general manager, myself, James, our division manager of distribution, really had the overall vision. But once we got to the hands-on area, it was really our linemen that designed the layout of most of that space.
So Mark Telg, who's our overhead construction manager, worked very closely with our linemen and made sure they had what they needed to pull everything together.
So I really think of this as we all work together as a team and I think really the results speak for themselves. The facility actually just exceeded my expectations.
I mean, it's safe to say our linemen are very proud of the training center and they have every right to be. They did a phenomenal job.
Paul Ciampoli
Yeah, and it strikes me as interesting and a great idea that you guys included the linemen in terms of the layout of the space. I imagine that they really appreciated that.
Randy Trimble
Yeah, I would say that they did. I mean, again, they have their fingerprints all over it.
They were able to really think about how well this would work from a training facility and they put a lot of time, a lot of effort and a lot of thought into the layout and really they are to be commended for doing such a fantastic job.
Paul Ciampoli
So what types of classes are available at the training center?
Randy Trimble
Well, so initially it was really designed to give us quite a bit of flexibility, really looking at first year apprentices as they come through the front door through our experienced journeyman all the way to our lead lineman.
We do have our ‘27 schedule. Our 2027 schedule includes topics like troubleshooting, journeyman apparatus and leadership, regulators, reclosers and capacitors, transformers, transformer connection, both overhead and underground, journeyman refresher training covering transformers and metering and regulators and capacitors and so forth.
What we were able to do was provide various equipment-specific technical training and troubleshooting and refresher training and actually even leadership development again to develop a lot of our newer linemen who in the next few years will naturally transition into more of a lead role.
We can also use this for our own internal training, including we have standard operating procedures or our SOPs.
So we can train on that. We can train on work practices that are specific to our system. To me, that's one of the biggest advantages of having our own facility.
If we recognize a training need, we have the classroom and I would say the functional hands-on area available to address it and to perform that training.
And so because the equipment is operational, a class on regulators and reclosers or capacitors, for example, doesn't have to really just stop in the classroom.
Once you get through with the classroom work, we can go next door and actually work with that equipment and see how it works. So that's really what we wanted to do.
The ability really to combine formal outside training, internal BTU training, and importantly as well, hands-on applications all in one place.
Paul Ciampoli
And that physical proximity to your point will make a huge difference in terms of efficiency, it sounds like.
Randy Trimble
Yeah, absolutely.
So before, some of the training we would have to do would, it would take us away from the area for several days at a time. So it was more efficient that, we can actually get more folks trained in a shorter amount of time.
They don't necessarily have to leave home, leave their families and they're here. And again, we have a lot more flexibility on the training and how often we do it.
And it's so far working out very well for us.
Paul Ciampoli
And so, along with the classes, the center also offers hands-on training area where employees can work with the same types of equipment used in the field.
So Randy, can you offer additional details on what that training area includes?
Randy Trimble
The hands-on area is probably the part that really most people, certainly from the outside coming in, be it our board members, be it our city council members, be it just folks from the public at general, really find the most impressive.
So it's a 5,000 square foot room. It's really set up as you come into it. I mean, it's set up as a three-phase distribution system.
So there's roughly 25 poles with cross arms, our 15 KV class insulators, phase conductors, a neutral, several underground primary risers, that feed pad mounted equipment.
So really, when a lineman or an apprentice walks into the room, it looks very much like the type of system they would see in the field today. Like I mentioned, we have pole mounted and pad mounted transformers.
We have capacitor banks, a regulator bank, operated switches, electronic and hydraulic reclosers, trip savers, pad mounted switch gear, a primary metering station, instrument rated metering, and really several different metering configurations.
We even have a motor setup so that we can demonstrate power factor correction, but actually do it in real time with a real load and be able to put a capacitor online, measure the difference that the capacitor makes before and after.
What we did, and this is where the linemen came in, we have a three-phase, 12208 bank that energizes the primary distribution system, right, the overhead part of it.
So we have transformers that were modified internally using small instrument transformers.
So we can actually produce secondary voltages just like they'll see in the field, anywhere from 120 up to 277 volts.
What makes it unique, I believe, is that the equipment operates the way our linemen would expect to find it in the field, but within a reduced voltage training environment.
So really they can come in, they can operate switches, work the reclosers, regulators, cap banks, metering, everything, make the connections and then even troubleshoot an energized system.
So I think the point I'm really trying to make is really our hands-on part of our training center. It's not a mock-up. It actually, it all works. The regulator regulates the voltage. The transformers put out the voltage that we expect. We have the ability to train on additive and subtractive transformers.
Again, the transformers are energized. So the cool thing to me is, right, our linemen figured out a way to how to fit all of that into this 5,000 square foot building and make it look and function just like a real distribution system. And like I said before, they did an exceptional job.
Paul Ciampoli
Yeah, so Randy, it also sounds like, you know, obviously safety's top of mind for public party utilities, especially as it relates to line workers.
So I'd imagine, you know, this is an opportunity where instructors could say, hey, wait a minute, what you're doing, [is a] potential safety hazard.
Randy Trimble
Yeah, really everything that we do in this training building, it all goes back to safety. So you'll see that the students are wearing their hard hats, all of their PPE, their hard hats, their gloves as it's appropriate, eye protection, their leather boots, everything that we do really reflects exactly what they would be doing in the field. So that's to me really part of the training.
It's not just a technical side, right, from how does a capacitor or transformer or regulator work, but it's also the safety aspect of it, right?
How can we also instill the habits, if you will, that really make up a good safety culture, which we have here at BTU.
Paul Ciampoli
And one of the things that jumped out at me as I was preparing for this interview and researching was the fact that the facility was built to support line workers at all experience levels.
So what are the advantages of taking this approach when it comes to training?
Randy Trimble
Well, one thing that we've talked about before we even started down this path really was we had a really good program as far as how do we train our apprentices.
But really it seemed that we had maybe a gap when it came time to maybe refresher training or training existing linemen on new material or on new methods by which we can get the work done.
So really what we decided was that training doesn't stop whenever someone completes their apprenticeship program.
So we identified the fact that we needed a way to develop employees who are new to the trade, but experienced line workers who can benefit from and actually desire continued training. I see it really as equipment and the technology and the work practices change and there are skills that employees may not use often enough really to stay proficient without periodic training.
So the other thing too is very important, as I'm sure you're aware of, this knowledge transfer component.
So we have, like I'm sure a lot of our utility folks listening, we have employees with decades of experience working alongside people who are relatively new to this trade.
So when we were able to bring those groups together outside, maybe as we're doing our normal job, we bring them together, that really creates opportunities for the more experienced, the more seasoned to pass along this knowledge that really isn't necessarily captured in a manual or captured in a procedure.
I mean, that's especially important as we prepare for our experience for employees to retire. Truly, we can't just replace the number of people who leave.
We really have to find ways to replace and transfer their experiences and their knowledge.
So having our own training facility really gives us another tool to do that deliberately and consistently.
Paul Ciampoli
And in terms of recruiting a potential line worker, maybe somebody who's literally just entering the field, is it possible that you guys could give a tour to potential hires to kind of say, hey, this is what we're offering to you in terms of kind of training?
Randy Trimble
It is and so we've actually reached out to -- so there's several school districts in our area. We've actually reached out to their training folks, right?
Their workforce training that maybe there's some folks that are looking at potentially not going on and going to college and that sort of stuff that really would like to stay here, but actually would like to get a really good job that pays well.
We actually have had students come through as a group just to kind of look and see and see the type of opportunities that we offer them to see that, hey, this really is something that I can do.
So we're really working hard and focusing on trying to attract new employees that are from our area that have an interest, that have the mechanical aptitude to do this kind of work.
And so far that actually has been a good relationship.
Paul Ciampoli
Yeah, and we're obviously, I think it's fair to say we're kind of becoming a media and visual focused society.
So I'd imagine being able to actually step foot into the training center really kind of is eye-opening for a lot of people.
Randy Trimble
Yeah, and even some of our employees here who really have not seen that up close, whether they're in the customer service area or maybe just really more on the admin side, have seen it as well.
And when they're up close and personal to it, they're like, well, wow, I never really had any idea that this is what it looks like.
So, you know, really it's not [just] really eye-opening to folks outside of our industry. It's also very eye-opening to our employees. Again, just never have the opportunity to see things like this up close and personal.
Paul Ciampoli
Randy, as we were preparing for this interview, again, one of the things that I noticed and wanted to talk to you about is the fact that BTU is working closely with Texas Electric Cooperatives to support the training center.
Can you provide additional details on that?
Randy Trimble
Texas Electric Cooperatives or TEC for short, they've actually been an important training partner for us for many years.
They already provide our safety programs and some training programs that we've used again over the last several years.
Really rather than trying to recreate these programs ourselves, we actually sat down with TEC and really expressed our vision of this opportunity to combine what TEC already does well throughout the state of Texas, but actually bring a usable functional training facility here in Bryan.
So historically, as we talked about earlier, much of this training that we're talking about here required our employees to travel.
Having our facility here gives TEC another location to offer its programs.
And it brings more of that training closer to our employees.
It also gives us the opportunity to have TEC come here and do training that maybe we wouldn't typically see even by going to these other places.
So it really is a very positive thing for us.
The other thing we talked about internally was we really didn't want it to benefit only BTU.
So our first class in April of this year included employees from not only BTU, but also some electric cooperatives and other municipal utilities here in this area. That I thought actually was a very neat thing to see. It gave employees from different utilities who were facing some of the same workforce and safety challenges that we have really an opportunity to train together.
So I think that partnership that we've talked about certainly with TEC works and with the other organizations work because each organization brings something to the table.
TEC brings established programs and the established instructors, I believe they have somewhere around 16 to 18 instructors and quite a few number of courses that they teach, some are multi-day courses and then BTU provides the facility here.
So between the classes that are scheduled, we can use the same facility for our own internal training and our SOP work.
So it really serves BTU while also serving as a training resource for our region.
Paul Ciampoli
And in terms of knowledge sharing, maybe for the more experienced line workers from co-ops and other municipal utilities and your utility, obviously.
I think it's fair to say, like with the line worker rodeos, along with the skills competitions, there's always going to be some knowledge sharing.
So I'd imagine that's also a benefit of the training center.
Randy Trimble
Absolutely.
I think there's a phrase around there's more than one way to skin a cat.
So there's more than one way to maybe safely build, right, the infrastructure that we do.
So now by having different employees from different utilities in our area come together, it may be that we can pick up something that this utility might be at a co-op or a muni down the road. They do this and maybe we never would have thought of that.
So I think that the knowledge, the camaraderie, it's just a very synergistic opportunity for us. And I have every expectation that this will pay dividends to us for a long time down the road.
Paul Ciampoli
And so, Randy, I'd imagine there's some listeners at this point of our conversation who may have some questions about, so how would we proceed with a similar training center?
And so if another public power utility decided to develop this type of center, what would you say are the key things that you should consider before moving ahead?
Randy Trimble
I think there's probably really three things.
I think I'd start off by saying maybe start with the training need, right?
What do you need? What does your organization need? What do you not have? How can you better broach that need, right?
Don't necessarily start with, hey, we have a building, maybe we can do this.
So our goal really was to take better control of our workforce development and provide more consistent training opportunities from, again, from the newest line worker all the way to a seasoned lead lineman, say, with 20, 25, 30 years of experience.
The fact that we did have an unused building available really helped us to realize that vision, but really the workforce need came first and was really identifying what need did the workforce have.
Second, I would say really look at what assets that you may already have.
We were fortunate to be able to repurpose an existing warehouse rather than start from scratch.
We were able to turn this underutilized asset into something that really should provide value for many years to come.
I think maybe the biggest lesson from our project is really involve the employees who are actually going to use the facility.
I maybe summarize that to say that so management had the vision, but it was the linemen who really did the hands-on area.
It's the linemen that really understood how that space needed to function way better than anybody from the management side could.
I'd say their involvement from the beginning really made this finished product better.
And importantly to me, created a sense of ownership and a sense of pride that they did this. This is what they helped build, again, for not only themselves, but for the future workers that are following behind them.
I think too, I'd say flexibility would be important.
I would look at how to make sure that the facility is flexible so ours, for example, can support outside training, BTU specific SOP training, new employee training, experience journeyman training, and really over a wide variety of equipment.
And another important part that we were very fortunate to have is good partners.
So our existing relationship with TEC really allowed us to bring their established training programs into our facility.
We didn't necessarily have to develop everything ourselves. They've got it. They've been doing it for decades. They know how to train. They bring very good material. They bring very experienced instructors.
So I think finally, I would encourage somebody looking into something like this is you really have to view it as a long-term workforce investment, right?
Not really simply just a building project.
Because ultimately, the real purpose isn't the classroom or the equipment.
The long-term purpose of this thing really is developing employees who can work not only safely and effectively, but also transferring the experience to the next generation and making sure we have the skilled workforce necessary here to provide reliable, safe service to our customers for years to come.
Paul Ciampoli
And just in terms of the physical structure, I think you raise a great point that that's kind of a key kind of box you can check in terms of if you're thinking about pursuing this type of training center.
Randy Trimble
For sure. I mean, the fact that we had this available, the fact that we did a large capital improvement project here, so we really turned an area that we already had into a larger, I would call it a larger T&D campus.
So we actually brought all of our linemen and the warehouse folks all together in a single building. That's where all of our vehicles park.
But again, doing this larger capital expansion, really left us the opportunity.
It really left us this gym, which is the old warehouse building. So what we have now is newer and larger.
So instead of this one just sitting fallow and really not doing anything other than just collecting dust, now we were able to invest some money into it, some time into it, and really turn it into what I think is a very valuable training tool for us today and in the future.
Paul Ciampoli
Yeah, indeed.
So Randy, looking ahead, what do you hope the training center will accomplish for BTU and the region?
Randy Trimble
Well, kind of like I alluded to before, I mean, really what we had available to us was just, I would call it more of a diamond in the rough.
So we're able to work together and construct what we have today.
I really view this thing more maybe as a resource that continues to grow with us.
For BTU, I see the biggest benefit is having a place where we can be a bit more deliberate about developing and training our workforce.
More deliberate on, say, reinforcing our own procedures.
As important, if not more important, really transferring knowledge from experienced employees that we have now that'll be retiring in the next 5 to 10, 15 years, really to the next generation of workers.
But I really hope that it really continues to serve maybe a broader purpose.
Through the partnership we talked about with Texas Electric Cooperatives, TEC, like we've talked about, we've already had employees from co-ops and other munis that are nearby training alongside our people.
So really, if we can use the facility to help develop better trained, safer, and I'd say even more capable line workers than we could have without it, not just for BTU really, but for other utilities in our region, I think that's a very good return on the investment.
And ultimately, that's what this whole thing has been about, right, making sure that we have the skilled people we need to safely and reliably serve our customers for many years to come.
Paul Ciampoli
Randy, thanks again so much for taking the time to speak with us today.
Training and workforce are key areas of interest, obviously, for public power utilities these days.
So I'm confident that our listeners will derive a lot of value from our discussion.
So thanks again so much for taking the time.
Randy Trimble
Thank you for having me and I appreciate the opportunity to visit.
Paul Ciampoli
Thanks for listening to this episode of Public Power Now, which is produced by Julio Guerrero, graphic and digital designer at APPA.
I'm Paul Ciampoli, and we'll be back with more from the world of public power next week.
