RichmondCC hosts Power the World Career Fair

HAMLET — Richmond Community College hosted its Power the World Career Fair on Thursday, giving employers from across the nation an opportunity to meet with students in the Electric Utility Substation and Relay Technology (EUSRT) program.

“Today’s event is the Power the World Career Fair, where almost 30 companies from around the nation and world come to talk and recruit our students for jobs in May when they graduate,” said Trinity Stanley, an EUSRT instructor at RCC.

Stanley has a long history with the college, starting as a student before becoming an instructor. “I think our first career fair was maybe in 2017 and it’s been growing ever since,” she said. “As I’ve worked here for the past five years, I think this might have been like the 10th career fair that I’ve been with them.”

She emphasized the importance of networking in the industry. “One thing I’m hoping that everybody takes away from this is that this industry is all about networking and who you communicate with. It’s very small and everybody knows everybody,” she said.

Stanley also highlighted the program’s national reputation. “This shows that our program is known across the nation and across the world. It’s a big deal to our companies, so little ole’ Richmond Community College is on the board.”

According to the RCC website, the Electric Utility Substation and Relay Technology curriculum provides students with the skills to maintain high-voltage equipment and protective systems for the electric utility transmission system. The program includes training in the operation and maintenance of critical infrastructure associated with the electric transmission grid. Courses develop students’ understanding of maintenance and troubleshooting on transmission equipment, including three-phase power theory, protective relaying, power transformers, voltage regulators, capacitors and power circuit breakers common to electric utilities and other industries.

The program hosts two career fairs each year, with the next one scheduled for October. Additionally, RCC will host a career fair for public safety and healthcare professionals on March 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cole Auditorium.