Bell Countian Jonathan Helton Completes Lineman Training, Prepares for Career with Assist from Bell-Whitley JobSight

Jonathan Helton knew that training to become a lineman wouldn’t be easy, but he was ready to learn a trade that could lead to a full-time career.   

That’s where the Bell-Whitley Kentucky Career Center JobSight came into the picture and helped Helton complete the training he would need to prepare him for working in the industry.  

Jonathan Helton

“Most of my friends that graduated before me talked about going through [the training] and getting help from Bell-Whitley,” Helton said. “So, then I applied for it and I got it.” 

A partner in the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network of workforce centers, Bell-Whitley provides Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) services in Bell County under contract with Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP). Those services include programs for adults, dislocated workers, and youth who may need assistance honing skills such as résumé building or networking with local employers, or who need assistance being retrained or going to school. 

For Helton, Bell-Whitley was able to cover the cost of his enrollment in the lineman program at Somerset Community College. The training would allow him to look for a job that not only pays well but provides the opportunity to begin a long-term career with job security.

Helton first began working at Bell-Whitley with Career Advisor Rudelle Green, who helped secure funding to cover tuition costs. Helton began the classes in May 2022 and had only two weeks left when he faced a significant setback after breaking two of his fingers. His injuries were severe enough that they prevented him from completing the program.  

Helton was deferred to the next class and provided an opportunity to re-enroll for the training, but it would mean that he would have to start the 15-week program all over again.  

Being unable to complete the classes was a moment of bad luck for Helton, who said at the time he wasn’t sure that he wanted to completely re-do the training. That was until he received a call from Bell-Whitley Career Advisor Tina Campbell, who had taken over his case after Green retired earlier in the year.  

“When I got deferred, I didn’t know if I wanted to do it again,” Helton said. “Tina called me randomly one day and motivated me to come back and do it, so I did finish it.” 

Helton began the program again in October 2022. The first time through was difficult but taught him a lot, Helton said, and by the second class he was able to maintain a performance among the top of his class. 

Helton graduated in December and said the support he received from Bell-Whitley was integral in helping him complete the training since it also helped cover costs for lodging and transportation to Somerset that he may not have been able to afford on his own. 

“They made it really easy,” he said. “It was very important, because I wouldn’t have been able to afford to go back and forth.” 

Now with a certification under his belt, Helton has begun the process of finding work, and said he’s excited to get started in the industry. He suggested that anyone looking for a new job or career contact the staff at Bell-Whitley and see if the services there might be right for them, as well.  

“I couldn’t have done it without them, honestly,” he said. “They really helped a lot, and I’m thankful for them. They put me on a career path that I like.”  

If you’re interested in applying for career and employment services at the Bell-Whitley Kentucky Career Center JobSight, or just want to learn more, call 606-337-3044 or visit jobsight.org.   

EKCEP, a nonprofit workforce development agency headquartered in Hazard, Ky., serves the citizens of 23 Appalachian coalfield counties. The agency provides an array of workforce development services and operates the Kentucky Career Center JobSight network of workforce centers, which provide access to more than a dozen state and federal programs that offer employment and training assistance for job seekers and employers all under one roof. Learn more about us at http://www.ekcep.org or http://www.facebook.com/ekcep.