Student Spotlight: Suat Utma
Meet Suat Utma, a 22-year-old from Ordu, Turkey. After earning his degree in film from Selçuk University, Suat came to the United States through a work-and-travel program to explore new opportunities.
“I moved here with no family, no friends, no one. It was hard, but I knew I wanted a change.”
Once he arrived, Suat began researching careers that would offer him stability and growth. Impressed by the positive reviews he saw about CFCC’s 10-week Electrical Lineworker training program, he took a leap of faith and enrolled.
At first, the program was challenging for Suat.
“At the beginning, I thought about giving up,” he admitted. “But thanks to instructors in the program like Al Savage, I realized I could do it. They have decades of experience. I wasn’t expecting this level of expertise.”
With only a few weeks left in the program, Suat reflects on his time at CFCC. “I’ve met amazing people here—students and instructors. It has been better than I ever expected,” he shared.
After completing the program in December, Suat hopes to start his career with one of the companies partnered with CFCC and ultimately become a journeyman. While focused on gaining experience in the U.S., he’s open to working internationally through the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), a union that connects lineworkers worldwide.
“I know I will always have work in this field. I feel like this is just the beginning of something big,” Suat shared.
Suat’s instructor, Al, is proud of how far Suat and all the students in the program have come. “Linework has so many opportunities. This is a career where you’ll always be needed,” he explained.
CFCC recently partnered with Southeastern Line Constructors Apprenticeship Training (SELCAT), sponsored by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). This partnership provides graduates of CFCC’s program with a direct pathway into SELCAT’s prestigious apprenticeship program and gives graduates a significant advantage as they enter the workforce.
“Whether they want to stay local or work internationally, the demand for skilled lineworkers will never disappear,” Al shared.
Ready to start your journey toward a stable, in-demand career? Explore CFCC’s Electrical Lineworker Training Program and see how it can open doors to opportunities worldwide. Learn more and take the first step today!
