A group of Belco apprentices have completed a ten-week crash course hosted by a Bermudian associate professor at a US college.

The power company’s four-year apprenticeship programme blended technical training and academic study with work experience.

Kelson Smith, professor at Dalton State College in Georgia, returned to Bermuda to teach students for more than two months at the Bermuda College.

He said: “Having spent most of my professional life here, I thank Belco for affording me the opportunity to further contribute to the technological advancement of Bermuda.

“It was also pleasant to spend a little time at Bermuda College, where I served for some 15 years.”

Mr Smith added: “My late brother began at Belco as an apprentice and went on to make a long and fruitful contribution as an engineer with the company.

“It is good that the company is offering similar opportunities today.”

Mr Smith was an associate dean at the Bermuda College before his position at Dalton College.

He also served as a training supervisor at the Bermuda Telephone Company and an assistant engineer at Cable and Wireless Bermuda.

Through Belco’s programme, apprentices in the transmission, distribution and retail division learn electrical fitting, joining and line working.

Apprentices in the bulk generation division learn electrical and mechanical maintenance.

Wayne Caines, the president of Belco, thanked Mr Smith for returning to the island to train apprentices and staff.

He also praised the college for calling on industry professionals to train the next generation of Bermudians in their fields.

Mr Caines said: “It has been a valuable experience for our apprentices to use Bermuda College's facilities to advance our training and development goals and assist in furthering our vision for our energy future.

“We hope to further collaborate with Bermuda College where there is alignment in programming or other opportunities.”

Belco’s apprenticeship programme has been going for 30 years, training many of the company’s employees.