Five SLTC Applicants Awarded Mike Rowe Work Ethic Scholarship

By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor

Mike Rowe (narrator and TV host known for “Dirty Jobs” and “Somebody’s Gotta Do It”) started the Work Ethic Scholarship Program to encourage diligent workers to pursue the skilled trades. In 2008, he founded the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, which receives donations from a number of other foundations and companies to fund the scholarship.

Five applicants to Southeast Lineman Training Center (SLTC) were among the 2023 recipients. SLTC reported that Bryce Bailey, Joseph Rullo, and Noah Spieth are currently enrolled at the lineman college (class began on January 4th), John Roderick has applied for the summer 2024 term, and Bryan Young had planned to begin on January 4th but canceled.

These five were included in the second round of scholarships awarded by Rowe’s foundation in 2023, for an annual total of 324 recipients and $1,675,000 in scholarship funds.

Rowe announced the recipients via Facebook at the end of December. A portion of his post read, “I have nothing against four-year schools, but from what I can tell, our country is not suffering today from a dearth of four-year degrees–we’re suffering from the growing scarcity of skilled tradespeople. Last I checked, the number of skilled workers leaving the workforce was nearly three times the number who enter. That math is very bad news for all of us, and this program is designed to train those individuals who want to join the next generation of skilled workers.”

The scholarship is awarded to applicants who are pursuing the following careers: automotive technology, aviation technology, carpentry, commercial driving, construction, diesel technology, electrical technology, emergency medical technology, farming and agriculture, fire science and technology, heavy equipment operation, HVAC, machining, manufacturing, marine technology, pipefitting, plumbing, and welding.