“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” – Roman philosopher Seneca
Andrew Smyth is not afraid of hard work. As an EMT with Grand County Emergency Medical Services and a member of their Mountain Medical Response Team (MMRT) since 2019, Andrew continuously pushed himself to broaden his skills while serving his community, delving into backcountry survival, ingress and egress techniques, honing his patient care skills, and earning several certifications along the way.
In a serendipitous encounter, it was while assisting a young ski injury patient and comforting the family on an ambulance ride to Denver that he heard about MPE’s new Electric Industry Scholarship and the possibility of a new career path.
In his essay that accompanied his scholarship application, Andrew said this scholarship could help support his transition to an apprentice lineman, a journey motivated by several factors.
“The primary purpose is to secure a better financial position as a lineman to provide for my family in Grandy County as it grows, and as our family grows,” said Andrew. “My secondary motivations are my personal physical and mental health, as being outdoors is very important to my lifestyle.”
Andrew also applied for MPE’s Operations Intern position this summer. He interviewed, was offered and accepted that role.
His strong application and hard work as an intern alongside MPE linemen led to him being awarded the highest amount available for an MPE scholarship, $10,000, to help him pursue his studies to become a lineman through Colorado Mesa University’s Electric Lineworker Program in Grand Junction.
“Something we appreciate with Andrew is how he stays busy,” said MPE Line Superintendent Drew Christensen. “On the job he is learning the trade. At times, he will stop and watch the guys do tasks to observe how they do it and learns that way. He asks questions when they arise and is really trying to learn all he can from the crew. It takes time to learn the trade and how to do it safely. He has received very good training at MPE and should be step ahead most students attending the school. We wish him the best.”
While carrying conduit on an early morning at a new service installation with an MPE line crew, Andrew said his last day of his MPE internship is Aug. 16 and his first day of line worker school is Aug. 19.
He described his summer internship as hard work with a lot to learn. He said there is a steep learning curve to the job because there are a lot of different components.
“This internship has put me ahead of the curve,” he said. “I’m excited to learn about electrical distribution theory. It will help to connect the dots for me for elements of that job that I don’t yet understand.”
Andrew said his wife, Rebecca, and 17-month-old son, Declan, will be coming with him to Grand Junction while he completes his two semesters of schooling. He says that on his time off (which is hard to fathom that he has any), he enjoys walks and hikes with his family, running, cross country mountain biking, fly fishing, rafting, and archery. In the winter, he spends most of his time on a split board (mostly for uphill exercise) and snowmobiling (mostly while on duty with EMS). He also has enjoyed playing video games, but has noticed that as he has gotten older, he finds himself playing less and less.