YEC awards 11 $1,000 Touchstone Energy Scholarships to graduating seniors at each area high school. To apply, students must be served by the Cooperative. YEC also awards one $1,000 Technical Advantage Scholarship to a graduating senior attending York Technical College in the fall, and one $500 Work-Based Learning Scholarship to a senior participant at the Floyd D. Johnson Technology Center. Learn more about these scholarship opportunities.
Education
Building a better future
Your cooperative began by lighting a path for members in 1941 that was otherwise dark. We believed in our communities and wanted to offer the possibility of a better life to everyone, regardless of where they lived. Not much has changed today. York Electric Cooperative takes the responsibility of providing you with affordable, reliable energy a step further by cultivating the communities of our members.
Electricity made life easier and offered new opportunities. York Electric provided this building block of hope, giving the power of light and the power of human connections to members living in rural areas.
Although electricity is now a staple in everyday society, your cooperative continues to offer opportunities of a lifetime. York Electric Cooperative strives to do more than simply provide reliable electricity, we want to help you build a better future by investing in our youth.
At a young age, we teach students about the importance and dangers of electricity. We spend time in our schools helping our children learn about our story and about the cooperative difference. But that’s not all. We send students to Washington, D.C. to learn about the cooperative voice that spreads across our great nation. Similarly, we send another group of young representatives to Columbia to learn about our work in South Carolina. We sponsor 13 different scholarships towards higher education for cooperative members, including one specifically designated for a student who is entering a technical field.
Thank you to each of our recipients for representing York Electric Cooperative’s future. Our dedication to building success, one brick at a time, is tried and true. We’ve continued the tradition, evolving our tactics over the years, and will continue to look out for you for years to come. Together we can make a difference.
Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer
2018 Linemen Gear Up for Safety Coloring Contest Winners
Co-op youth get quality time with governor
Forty-six high school students representing 15 electric cooperatives around South Carolina spent three days in the Columbia area July 26-28 on the first statewide Cooperative Youth Summit, which included a much longer visit with the governor than had been planned.
York Electric sponsored two students, Clarklyn George, daughter of Megan George of York, and Anna Rhyne, daughter of Margaret and Lawrence Rhyne of York. Jessie Comer, daughter of Shari and Craig Comer of Hickory Grove, was sponsored by the Trustees Association, made up of directors of the 20 co-ops around S.C..
Primarily rising seniors, Youth Summit attendees received an introduction to co-ops and the cooperative business model. They visited the Statehouse, where government relations staff from the state association of electric cooperatives explained co-ops’ lobbying efforts on behalf of their members. They met a judge and a legislator, toured the Richland County C&D Landfill’s gas-to-energy facility, went to Riverbanks Zoo, and enjoyed a catered dinner at the historic Robert Mills House.
Seven chaperones with co-ops around the state, including York’s Porter Gable, accompanied the students, who began their visits with elected officials with Richland County Circuit Court Judge Robert Hood. State Rep. James Smith (Richland-Dist. 72) also discussed his service in the state House of Representatives.
The day’s highlight came when what was scheduled to be a quick chat with Gov. Henry McMaster turned into an impromptu personal visit with all 46 students. McMaster gave the students a tour of his personal office and conference room and spent more than 45 minutes taking pictures and talking with each of the attendees.
The students operated their own Soda Pop Co-op during the trip. At the end, they were surprised to learn that, by doing business the cooperative way, they had earned $3 per person as their capital credit refund.
This is not your father’s factory
$1,000 scholarship encourages youth to look again at manufacturing jobs.
The roots of York Electric run back to an era, about 78 years ago, when YEC primarily was a rural electric power provider.
Today, YEC still proudly serves many rural homes and farms. We also serve plenty of suburban developments and industries that have put their own roots down here. All along, we’ve been about improving the lives of our members. Community commitment is one of YEC’s core values.
YEC serves several high-tech industries, including Silcotech Carolinas and Bluestar Silicones. We’re proud to call these industries members, too. Not only do these companies buy large amounts of power, which helps stabilize the rates that all member classes pay, they also provide livelihoods for many of our residential members and other local residents.
That’s why York Electric works hard to attract and retain these industries. YEC staff and board members serve on the board of York County Economic Development (YCED).
But if you’re remembering the textile plants of yesteryear, look again: Today’s manufacturing companies are, to paraphrase an old Oldsmobile commercial, “not your father’s factory.”
As YCED Director David Swenson notes, “Manufacturing employment in York County remains strong at 12 percent of our labor force and has grown by 1,900 jobs over the past few years. The manufacturing sector provides a good annual average wage at almost $60,000 and in 2016 this sector contributed the largest portion of our local economy with over $1.8 billion in goods and services produced in York County. The key factor to manufacturing employees getting a good job and achieving greater wealth is achieving a quality education.”
To help, YEC is upgrading our annual York Tech Scholarships. We’ll now offer one $1,000 scholarship to a student seeking a degree in a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) field. See the ad on the next page for details.
Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer
Progress personified
YEC member Rhonda Belton personifies the change in our service area. Raised on a farm in the Smith’s Turnout community on the York-Chester county line, she’s now a production scheduler at Bluestar Silicones, which her co-op serves. “Growing up, a lot of the manufacturing plants, they mostly offered production jobs,” Belton says. “There are a lot more jobs today as far as office personnel and other areas. We have positions in quality labs, R&D, plus technicians and scientists. It’s a mixture.” In her data-driven position, Belton’s finger rests right on the pulse of plant. “We stay pretty busy! I’m seeing a lot of growth. There have been a lot of new hires in the R&D department and production to help meet the customer demand for the new products.”
Related Topics:
Scholarships
Economic Development
Local Workforce Wins Through Cooperation
Local workforce wins through cooperation
Bluestar Silicones began operations in 2012 in the East York Industrial Park, developed by YEC. An Elkem company, Bluestar Silicones is one of the world’s leading fully integrated silicone operators, with more than 60 years of experience and $575 million in sales globally. About 115 of its 160 employees work at the York site, with many from the local area. Operations Director David Beaty notes, “It took us a good three years to get the right workforce.”
To accomplish that goal, Bluestar Silicones takes advantage of two programs of the S.C. Technical College System, ReadySC and Apprenticeship Carolina, which prepare South Carolina workers to meet the needs of companies locating here. Another asset is the Manufacturing Excellence program at York Comprehensive High School’s Technology Center. Production Manager Al Chatham notes, “The professionalism of the program has improved by leaps and bounds. We’re optimistic that this is starting to take hold, and students are considering us as an employment option.”
Bluestar Silicones hired two local students as interns through the program, while MacLean Power Systems and Arvin-Meritor York got one each. If they work out, Bluestar’s hires will advance to the apprenticeship program, Chatham notes.
York County Economic Development Director David Swenson says many manufacturing companies in the area partner with York Technical College, Apprenticeship Carolina, ReadySC, and the local school system in order to train existing workers and secure new employees. “Working together, the workforce wins, the companies win and the community wins. This is what makes our area successful,” Swenson says.
Related Topics:
Economic Development
East York Industrial Park
York Electric announces coloring contest winners
In honor of lineman’s appreciation day, York Electric held our 2nd annual Linemen Gear Up for Safety Coloring Contest. Although there were many talented young artists, we could only pick three of the 48 contestants. The 2016 Rodeo Team chose the pictures that stood out to them as the best and most creative.
As an added bonus, we received a special note, shown at the left, from 7-year-old Sarah Pusey. As Sarah says, “Dear linemen, thank you for fixing and building our lines.” After all, you are the reason the lights come on.
To our linemen, we appreciate your dedication and hard work. Here’s to you!