Kalee Gilmeister, of Eland, and Carter Melum, of Iola, have each been named recipients of the 2024 Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative’s (CWEC) Electric Utility Worker Scholarship. Each will receive $1,000 for their studies.
CWEC established the scholarship to help address a forecasted shortage of electric utility employees and to encourage students to consider a career in an electric utility.
Kalee Gilmeister
Gilmeister, a 2024 graduate of D.C. Everest High School, said she decided to pursue a career as an electric utility worker because she wanted to pursue a career in the trades, and to do something that helps other people.
“I feel like it’s going to be something that I honestly will really enjoy,” Gilmeister said.
Because Gilmeister’s mom works for a plumbing, heating, and electrical company, Gilmeister said electricity is something that has interested her. This had her thinking about becoming an electrician. But after speaking with the career coach at D.C. Everest, Gilmeister said he encouraged her to consider the Electrical Distribution program at Northcentral Technical College (NTC).
After visiting NTC in February to learn more about the program, Gilmeister decided that was the path she wanted to take.
“He (instructor) let me try out some of the things and get my hands on some of it,” Gilmeister said. “I just really enjoyed the teachers, the learning environment, some of the things that he taught. I just found it all really interesting and something that I could see myself learning more about.”
Gilmeister said she understands that she will be entering a male-dominated career, and will have to prove that she has the skills and knowledge to do the job. She added that in the future, she would be alright with being a role model for young girls.
“Showing that women can do stuff and you don’t have to be afraid if you’re a little different,” Gilmeister said. “How many women are now welders? Times can change. If you love something, and it’s your passion, go for it.”
Spending time outdoors and having hands-on work experiences are a couple of things that attracted Gilmeister to pursue an electric utility worker career.
“I’m not the type of person who likes to sit at a desk all the time,” she said. “Having that hands-on thing. And trying something that most people don’t really do is something that I think sets me out and will be something that will carry me on for a long way.”
Gilmeister has been accepted to the Electrical Distribution program at NTC in Wausau, but is on the waiting list to start the program.
Receiving the CWEC Utility Worker Scholarship is something Gilmeister said she is thankful for.
“It’s just absolutely amazing to me that I was able to receive it,” she said. “It will allow me to pay off my debt sooner and have a more fulfilling life. Hopefully even give back to other people who need help.”
Carter Melum
Melum, a 2024 graduate of Iola-Scandinavia High School, said he started thinking about becoming an electric utility worker when he was in middle school.
“Before that I always wanted to be a dentist because it’s still helping people out, but the more I went on with schoolwork, the less I got interested in going to a four-year college,” Melum said. “But I knew I still had to go on to school to make something of myself. And doing this is definitely doing that.”
Finding a career that helps people is important to Melum, who said he has always been interested in electricity, and also enjoys being in the outdoors.
“Being a lineman fits all those. It checks all those boxes,” Melum said.
To help reaffirm his decision to pursue a career as an electric utility worker, Melum said he spoke with two retired electric utility workers who had worked at CWEC, as well as current CWEC lineman Alex Lutz.
“All of them had nothing bad to say about working for the co-op and being a lineman,” Melum said.
Melum is currently enrolled in the Electrical Power Distribution program at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) in Green Bay. The program last nine months, and Melum is scheduled to graduate in March of 2025.
Being named a scholarship recipient was very important for his career pursuit, Melum said.
“Without it (scholarship), I would have less opportunity,” Melum said. “For all I know, I may not have even been attending this school without it. It definitely helps a lot.”