HCTC’s new lineworker training coordinator went from coal miner to lineworker

Anthony Bowling’s career has brought power to people

Anthony Bowling, known to most as Tony, completed his lineworker training at Hazard Community & Technical College (HCTC) in 2014. Now, one decade later, Bowling has been named the new program coordinator. 

Prior to enrolling in the lineworker program, Bowling worked as an electrician in underground coal mines for nine years.

"My family had worked in the mines," he said. "After I got out of the army, I needed to find work. So I came to eastern Kentucky to mine." 

Bowling, who is from Ohio, moved to eastern Kentucky permanently in 2003. When the coal mines began closing in the early 2010s, he said he went back to school out of necessity. 

"My friends who I worked with in the mines left to work in other places, some moving to Alabama and other states. However, they were laid off from those mining jobs, too," he said. "I wasn't going to chase jobs."

When he enrolled in the training program over a decade ago, Bowling said he felt anxious as he made a career change. 

"Of course I was nervous," he said. "I was worried that companies wouldn't want me because of my age. But I was wrong. Companies see the value of life experience." 

His life experience as an electrician gave him skills that transferred directly to the field of linework. 

"I've always tried to keep people's lights on. When I left mining and entered the field, I just switched sides of the powerplant," Bowling said. "I provide different services now. As I transitioned, I had to learn a new way of construction, setting poles." 

In addition to his family's history of work in the mines, Bowling's succeeding generations also left him closely tied to the region. Since moving to the mountains in 2003, his six children and 11 grandchildren have come to call the region home. 

"I didn't want to uproot my family and take them across the country. The best incomes in eastern Kentucky come from mine work, railroad jobs," he said. "I'm glad linework allowed me to remain in eastern Kentucky. A lot of companies want their people to relocate, but, again, I didn't want to put my family through that." 

While working in the field of linework, Bowling remained central to eastern Kentucky. He said that contracts may come and go, but home stays forever. 

His love for eastern Kentucky led him to where he is now, overseeing the lineworker training program at HCTC. 

"I enjoy working with the younger people entering the field. I try to teach them that safety and rule-following is the way to go," he said. "If you cut corners, it's not a matter of if, but when, an accident will happen. If you work safely and follow the rules, you'll have a good career in this field and retire well." 

Bowling's passion for raising the next generation of lineworkers shows in his family. He said two of his children have entered the field.  

"My oldest son is a lineman. And my daughter worked in it for two years," he said. "I was worried about her doing it. She weighs 105 pounds and is 5-foot-3-inches tall." 

However, Bowling said she proved her ability. 

"I always told her that she could do anything she set her mind to. When I expressed my worries, she told me that. And for those two years, she did a good job," Bowling recalled. "She is in school again to be a dental hygienist. But I tried to encourage her to stay in the field because she was good at what she was doing." 

Bowling said the field of linework is rewarding. 

"When the storms are over and we're doing maintenance, people might get upset with us. Our trucks slow their traffic. Setting new poles requires us to turn their power off," he said. "But that doesn't compare to the happiness we bring people, the cool air from their air conditioning, their cold food from refrigerators." 

This is all part of the job in a field Bowling described as "adventurous."  

To learn more about the lineworker training program, visit the Lineworker Training program webpage. You may also contact Program Coordinator Anthony Bowling by phone at (606) 487-3287 or email abowling0045@kctcs.edu.