DETROIT – It’s a win-win situation for homeowners, DTE Energy and people looking for specialized job training.
Focus: HOPE has jumped into the tree-trimming business to help fill job openings and prevent frustrating power losses during storms.
“This is a career that’s been around for over 100 years. Just not a lot of exposure,” said Clinton Williams, the lead instructor at the DTE Tree Trim Academy. “Most of the power outages, at least 80% are due to trees falling directly to power lines. So if we have people to maintain the trees and other vegetation around the powerlines, well, that will go a long way toward preventing outages.”
DTE Energy expects more than 200 tree-trimming job openings in the next two years. That’s where Focus: HOPE’s workforce development division comes in. They support people with different career interests.
“We’re hoping to fill every last one of those slots,” said Focus: HOPE program coordinator Tonya Gillrainey. ”We get them ready as far as customer service certification, business certification, depending on whether they’re in truck driving, forklift certification, so we’re trying to get them ready so resume preparation and interviewing.”
In 2021, the nonprofit partnered with DTE Energy to create its tree-trimming academy. They are having an open house for the program Friday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the DTE Tree Trim Academy Training Center in Detroit, located at 7800 Pierson Street.
“This is a viable job, many cases of six-figure income for those who are willing to put into work,” Clinton said. “It’s not the easiest job in the world to do. But it is rewarding.”
The open house event hopes to shine line on the opportunities and to let people meet students already starting the process.
“They offer different specialties. We’ll be getting a pesticide certification, which will help us go into tree trimming at a higher pay rate,” said student Luke Smith. “We have to help people every day, get their power back at the end of the day or have a sense of accomplishment and feeling like you’ve done something for the community.”
More information on the DTE Tree Trim Academy Program can be found here.