Djon Greer remembers the moment he received the phone call with the news that he was selected for the 2021 Edison International Lineworker Scholarship Program.

Becoming a lineworker had been Greer’s goal ever since his godfather and family were impacted by power outages after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Last year, his 70-year-old grandfather was one of the many Texans without power during severe winter storms. He had to sleep in his car with the heater on to keep from freezing.

“The lineworkers worked in flooded cities and freezing cold. They left their families to take care of my family and help others in their communities,” said Greer. “This piqued my interest in becoming a lineworker and doing something to help people.”

After doing some initial research, Greer discovered that the percentage of African Americans in the lineworker trade was “far too low.”

“Having a career as an African American lineworker would not only be a great accomplishment for me and my family, but also for the African American community,” he said. “I will continue to raise awareness to show the positive impact that an electrical career can have in the Black community.”

Edison International is now accepting applications for the 2022 Lineworker Scholarship Program, in partnership with IBEW Local 47, to provide opportunities for a diverse range of people. The four-year pilot program is focused on attracting Black participants because the percentage of SCE’s Black lineworkers is lower than the Black population it serves.

Before attending SCE’s “Black Male Initiative – Career Pathways to Power” event for students to learn about careers in energy, 2021 Lineworker Scholarship recipient Michael Smith planned to pursue a career as a registered nurse. After the event, he was inspired to become a lineman and applied for the scholarship.

“The session was eye-opening for me. I’m an advocate for both mental and physical health and was pursuing nursing because I wanted a rewarding career as well as a way to help people and be of service,” said Smith. “Southern California Edison has a great reputation and the fact that safety is such a priority really drew me to explore this opportunity.”

Smith recalls some valuable advice received from a mentor: “You will still be an essential worker but now you will be helping more than one patient at a time and potentially saving a lot of people by providing access to life-saving electricity. The people who have oxygen concentrators at home will be saved by you! Diabetics with insulin will be able to keep their meds safe with refrigeration.”

“This really hit home for me and let me know that I was on the right path,” said Smith. “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity.”

“We continue to be inspired every day by the hard work and determination of our lineworker scholars,” said Heather Rivard, SCE’s senior vice president of Transmission & Distribution. “It is truly an honor to provide this opportunity to the next class of applicants and support their pursuit of a career working to serve our customers.”

Launched last year, the program provides tuition, tools and support services needed to complete required training at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. An agreement with Brotherhood Crusade will help with support services as needed such as housing, transportation and childcare. The $1 million scholarship program is funded by Edison International shareholders and IBEW Local 47, awarding up to $25,000 per recipient.

To apply and obtain additional eligibility information, visit scholarsapply.org. The deadline to apply is May 6.